Florida Media Specialists Adrianna Swearingen has been named her state’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: Florida State Department of Education
Any campus that has an exceptional Teacher Librarian on their staff is a very fortunate school. A knowledgable and innovative Media Specialist is an invaluable resource for both students and colleagues. In her elementary school, Adrianna Swearingen is exactly such a resource. In fact, she is so accomplished she has been named the 2024 Florida State Teacher of the Year.
Adrianna teaches at Northside Elementary School in Bay County. She has served as the school’s Media Specialist since 2021. In that role, she has been a major reason why the students in her school have increased their English Language learning gains by 21 percentage points, with the learning gains for the lowest students showing growth of 41 percentage points. That’s huge! In addition to this, Adrianna works with her campus Technology Club, the Lego Club, and the Yearbook Committee.
In the prior seven years, when she was a classroom teacher, Adriana worked with both kindergartners and fourth graders. She helped her students run morning broadcasts, she pioneered the Accelerated Reader Program, and she cultivated an environment of confidence among her young charges.
She has other work experiences, too. For example, before she became a teacher, she trained with her dog, Mako, to be a therapy service team. In this role, she and her dog attended events and volunteered at schools, retirement homes, and colleges with Love Dog Adventures through Pet Partners.
“My message for not only the teachers here in my county, but the entire state of Florida is to know that you are enough, and you matter,” declares Adrianna. “And we are doing amazing things in education. We are game changers!” she continued.
Adrianna earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Florida State University, Panama City, in 2015. She earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida in 2021.
