Elementary Reading and Language Arts teacher Deborah Stringfellow named Alabama State’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: The 1819 Newsletter
I always enjoy sharing stories about exceptional teachers who have earned accolades for their work in the field of education. One of these is Deborah Stingfellow, an elementary school teacher from Coosada, Alabama. She has been named her state’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Deborah currently teaches Reading and Language Arts to fourth graders at Airport Road Intermediate School in Coosada, Elmore County. In a career that spans four decades, she has taught at Airport Road for the past four. Prior to that, she taught in Snellville, Georgia, and Daleville, Alabama. She has taught regular education and gifted education, and at both the elementary and junior high school levels. She also served as an Assistant Principal in Snellville for four years of her career.
In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Deborah contributes to her community through the initiative she founded, Sowing Seeds: Growing Teachers, which involves partnering with schools and universities. The honored educator dedicates her time to mentoring new teachers, empowering experienced educators with essential resources, and presenting at conferences.
Deborah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s degree in Special Education, both from Troy University. She has also completed the requirements for an Education Specialist’s degree in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University. And she is a National Board Certified teacher.
This exemplary educator possesses a strong passion for education, which comes from her humble beginnings. Both her parents had to quit school before reaching the eighth grade in order to help support their families. “Despite not having the opportunity for formal education, my parents understood its importance and instilled in me a strong work ethic, a deep appreciation for education and a commitment to lifelong learning,” Deborah declares. “As a young teenager, the realization of what could have been for my parents became a powerful motivator,” she continues. Later, her father earned his GED, and Deborah helped her mother earn her GED as well.
Congratulations, Deborah!
