District Teacher of the Year Kelli Williams is given an award.

Kelli Williams of Suwannee Primary School was named the 2012-13 District Teacher of the Year for Suwannee County. Yvonne Topham was selected as the school related employee of the year.


The announcements were made Tuesday night at a banquet at the Ann & Quinton Rumph Dining Room at the Advent Christian Village. Teachers who were chosen as their school’s teacher of the year were honored prior to the revealings.


“I’m honored to represent this community that has given me so much,” said Williams.


Williams said that teachers aren’t born, “they’re created.”


“The job of shaping the future is vast,” Williams said.

Individual teachers of the year are: Patricia Lambert, Suwannee Elementary School; Kelli Williams, Suwannee Primary School; Kathy Wood, Suwannee Intermediate School; Mirian Venero, Suwannee Middle School; Neena Brown-Thomas, Suwannee High School; Derwin Bass, Suwannee Hamilton Technical Center; Renita Kelly, Branford Elementary School; and Lawanna Gaylard, Branford High School.

Individual school related employees of the year are: Tara Brock, Suwannee Primary School; Betsy Byrd, Suwannee Elementary School; Lori Alban, Suwannee Intermediate School; Evelyn Aue, Suwannee Middle School; Kathy Aukerman, Suwannee High School; Raymond Johnson, Suwannee Hamilton Technical Center; Yvonne Topham, Branford Elementary School; Lauri Reaves, Branford High School; Willie Ford, Transportation Department, Sarah Chauncey, District Office; and Lori Saunders, Facilities Department.

The Suwannee County Teacher of the Year was selected by a committee made up of Live Oak Mayor Sonny Nobles, Karen Koon, Cher Mehan, John Burley and Kelli Williamson.