Camp tops list of honored teachers
By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

Cherokee County School District Teacher of the Year Marc Camp is shown Monday evening after he was presented with his award by personnel director Carlotta Redish. (Ledger photos / SCOTT POWELL)

Draytonville Elementary physical education teacher Marc Camp was honored Monday evening as the Cherokee County School District's top teacher.

Camp was among 19 county teachers honored by school trustees for their excellent work this year. Each school's teacher of the year was presented with a $100 check and an engraved plaque from the school district.

Camp received a check for $200 as the district's teacher of the year. He will receive $1,000 from the state and will be honored at Friday's State Teacher of the Year banquet in Columbia.

"As a Cherokee County native and a product of this county's school system, it is an honor to represent the best district in the state of South Carolina," Camp said. "I'm really pleased to get to go to the state teacher of the year banquet."

Camp has spent his entire 19-year teaching career in Cherokee County, including the past nine years at Draytonville Elementary. He has taught at the old Central Elementary, Mary Bramlett Elementary and Goucher Elementary.

The Cherokee County School District honored the top teachers from local schools Monday evening during the school board meeting.

Camp earned his National Board Teacher Certification last fall. It is the highest level of training a teacher can earn nationally.

He has been heavily involved in helping the district implement new physical education activity requirements under the South Carolina Healthy Schools Act. He is serving on a district wellness committee that will be making recommendations this spring on ways to improve student fitness in elementary schools.

Camp has used the "Dance Dance Revolution" video game, hockey, walking and music to encourage students to become more active in physical education classes.

"I'm open to anything and willing to try anything new," Camp said. "We start all of our activities in class with music. The kids love the upbeat music. I think the kids move better with music and become more active in class."

Camp was selected as the district's teacher of the year by a committee of educators based on an application he submitted last fall detailing his teaching philosophy, education background and classroom activities.

County teacher of the year: Marc Camp, Draytonville Elementary

Teachers of the year by school:

Alma Elementary: Holly Rice
B.D. Lee Elementary: Mary Starnes
Blacksburg Elementary: Cecile Comer
Blacksburg High: Kristi Crater
Blacksburg Middle: Angela Martin
Blacksburg Primary: Lindsay Feller
Cherokee Technology Center: Bob Lail
Corinth Elementary: Hope Owens
Ewing Middle: Janet Kuntz
Gaffney Middle: Cassandra Johnson
Gaffney High: Elizabeth Ireton
Goucher Elementary: Sharon Dover
Granard Middle: Faye Whelchel
Grassy Pond Elementary: Ryan Godfrey
Limestone-Central Elementary: Cynthia Love
Limestone Learning Center: Kevin Hammett
Luther Vaughan Elementary: Shelley Phillips
Mary Bramlett Elementary: Tracy Jones
Northwest Elementary: Melanie Nance