West Memphis teacher a finalist for Teacher of the Year

Daly to be honored at ceremony this weekend at governor’s mansion

By DONALD WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

Amanda Daly, a teacher at The Academies of West Memphis, has been named one of the 2024 Arkansas Teacher of the Year Regional Finalists by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. Along with thirteen other educators from various regions across the state, Daly will be honored at an event on August 5 at the Governor’s Mansion.

Originally hailing from Iowa, Daly has been a choir director, music instructor and district music supervisor for over 20 years, most of that time split between Hughes and West Memphis, and even won teacher of the year at Maddox Elementary in 2013.

“It feels pretty incredible. We don’t do this for the recognition, of course, if you did you would be hard up!” said Amanda jokingly, “Representing our district and just to be nominated is such an honor. I work with the greatest people and it’s just a cherry on top. I never expected it.”

“Each of these educators

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represents some of the best in teaching for Arkansas,” Arkansas Education Secretary Jacob Oliva said Friday in announcing the regional _nalists. “I congratulate each on achieving this honor and look forward to continued excellence from them both inside and outside the classroom.”

Each _nalist will receive a certi_cate and a $1,000 prize provided by the Walton Family Foundation of Bentonville. Following the ceremony, the 14 _nalists will undergo further evaluation, with the _nal selection process narrowing them down to four semi-_nalists before ultimately choosing the Arkansas Teacher of the Year.

The regional _nalists come from a diverse range of teaching _elds and schools, including Melani Blansett from Cabot High School, Christopher Coker from Camden Fairview High School, Amanda Daly from the Academies of West Memphis, Kimberly Dickens from Alma High School, Candace Gilbreath from Cherokee Elementary School, Tawnya Herring from Meekins Middle School and Stuttgart Junior High School, Melanie Hill from DeWitt Middle School, Matthew Holden from Fayetteville High, Tammy Lites from De Queen Middle School, Ricky Manes from Bryant High School, Marcia Martin from Walnut Ridge Middle School, Karen McDowell from Fairview Elementary, Abby Roberts from Jim Stone Elementary School, and Jeanie Wilcoxon from Chenal Elementary School.

Amanda Daly, left, pictured with AWM principal Jimmy Sloan, is an Arkansas Teacher of the Year finalist.

Photo courtesy of WMSD