For the first time since 2011, the Columbia County School District’s
Teacher of the Year has been named a Top 10 Finalist in the running for Georgia Teacher of the
Year.
Crystal McDowell, a Greenbrier High School science teacher, was recognized during a
surprise presentation in her classroom by State School Superintendent Richard Woods,
Superintendent Steve Flynt and Greenbrier High School Principal Chip Fulmer, according to a news release from the school district.
Read more: ‘Change agent’ named Columbia County Teacher of the Year
McDowell will meet with a panel of judges for formal interviews and speeches prior to the selection of the 2025 Teacher of the Year.
She is the ninth Columbia County Teacher of the Year to be named a state finalist, the release said.
“What an honor. I just want to say, that first and foremost, the students are who this is all
about, they’re why I do what I do every day. It means the world to be able to represent our
county, and potentially represent our state, and to be able to do everything I can to make it a
wonderful experience for our kids,” McDowell said.
Augusta Good News, a member of the Georgia Press Association, is a local, digital newspaper. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
