Hoover educator named 2025 Alabama Teacher of the Year

Bluff Park Elementary School teacher Katie Collins has been named Alabama’s 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year. Collins, a first-grade teacher with 20 years of experience, will now serve as the state’s official ambassador for public education over the next year.

The award recognizes excellence in classroom instruction and a commitment to student success. Collins was one of 16 educators selected as finalists from among 155 statewide nominees submitted by local superintendents, principals, and colleagues.

“We are so proud of you and thankful for the incredible impact you have on your students and families, and we look forward to watching you share your gifts with others throughout the state,” Hoover City Schools said in a statement. “Mrs. Collins is enthusiastic about modeling her passion for learning, designing innovative cross-curricular Project-Based Learning units, and facilitating student autonomy and leadership. She believes relationships are the foundation to student success and enjoys identifying and nurturing her students’ unique academic gifts.”

Collins has taught middle and high school French and English language courses for both children and adults. At Bluff Park Elementary, she helped launch the Communities Family Literacy Program, which supports English learner families in the Hoover school system. She called that initiative her proudest professional accomplishment.

As Alabama Teacher of the Year, Collins will participate in professional development and public speaking events statewide and will represent Alabama as a candidate for National Teacher of the Year. The award also includes a $5,000 prize.

“I believe student engagement is the heartbeat in the joy of learning,” Collins said in a statement. “I am passionate about designing dynamic cross-curricular lessons that both engage and empower every student to have a positive impact on the world. As the 2025-2026 Alabama Teacher of the Year, I will work to raise more awareness about mental health among our youth and promote best practice solutions and independence-building classroom experiences. It is critical that we provide children with the tools to navigate both the real and virtual worlds in a way that fosters resilience and overall well-being.”

Also honored at the ceremony was Aubrey Bennett, a 12th-grade history teacher at George Washington Carver High School in Birmingham, who was named the 2025-2026 Alternate Alabama Teacher of the Year. Bennett has taught at Carver for 11 years and also serves as sponsor of the Student Government Association and supports the school’s attendance efforts. His leadership has contributed to a 16 percentage-point drop in chronic absenteeism across the Birmingham City Schools system.

State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey praised both honorees as shining examples of the profession.

“Alabama Teacher of the Year Katie H. Collins and Alternate State Teacher of the Year Aubrey Bennett clearly represent the highest levels of professionalism,” Mackey said. “Both are outstanding educators and exemplify classroom excellence. We are thankful for their continued commitment to advancing student achievement in Alabama.”

Celebrating Alabama’s top 16 educators

The Alabama Teacher of the Year Program is one of the state’s oldest and most esteemed recognition efforts, celebrating teachers who demonstrate excellence in teaching, leadership in their schools and districts, and a lasting impact on students. The 2025-2026 “Sweet 16” finalists are:

Angela Kirby – Gulf Shores Middle School, Gulf Shores City Schools (District I Elementary)
Kristen Madsen – Gulf Shores High School, Gulf Shores City Schools (District I Secondary)
Amy Garrett – Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning, Pike County Schools (District II Elementary)
Joshua Wine – Auburn Junior High School, Auburn City Schools (District II Secondary)
Katie Collins – Bluff Park Elementary School, Hoover City Schools (District III Elementary)
Kristin Bundren – Spain Park High School, Hoover City Schools (District III Secondary)
Dr. Katherine A. Thomas – Edgewood Elementary School, Homewood City Schools (District IV Elementary)
Aubrey Bennett – G.W. Carver High School, Birmingham City Schools (District IV Secondary)
Lindsey Norris – Forest Avenue Elementary School, Montgomery County Schools (District V Elementary)
Roseann Byrd – Citronelle High School, Mobile County Schools (District V Secondary)
Andrea Dade Horn – Locust Fork Elementary School, Blount County Schools (District VI Elementary)
Heather Oden Pettit – Arab High School, Arab City Schools (District VI Secondary)
Deidra Brewer – Highland Park & Webster Elementary Schools, Muscle Shoals City Schools (District VII Elementary)
Andrew Lee Mills – Florence Middle School, Florence City Schools (District VII Secondary)
Catherine Megan Hockey – Rainbow Elementary School, Madison City Schools (District VIII Elementary)
Amanda J. Gudmundsson – Athens High School, Athens City Schools (District VIII Secondary)

Each of these finalists was recognized for their excellence in education and their leadership across Alabama communities. The Teacher of the Year announcement each spring serves as a reminder of the vital role educators play in shaping the future of the state, one student at a time.

For more information about the Alabama Teacher of the Year program, visit the Alabama State Department of Education.

Sherri Blevins is a writer for Mountain Valley News and a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].