Tiffany Marsh, a vocal music teacher at Paul Laurence Dunbar, is Kentucky’s 2019 High School Teacher of the Year. She was among three finalists for the overall statewide honor, which went to a special education teacher in Oldham County.
Co-sponsors Valvoline and the Kentucky Department of Education made the announcements during a May 15 ceremony at the Berry Mansion in Frankfort. Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton, Interim Commissioner of Education Wayne Lewis, and Sam Mitchell, chief executive officer of Valvoline, congratulated all the teachers.
Marsh earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Louisville. She has also achieved National Board Certification and attended a College Board Advanced Placement summer institute on AP Music Theory at Morehead State. Marsh is a member of the National Education Association, the Kentucky Music Educators Association, and the American Choral Directors Association. With 13 years in education overall, she has taught vocal music at Dunbar for nearly four years. She has also received two FAME Awards after nominations from appreciative seniors in Fayette County Public Schools.
Jessica Dueñas of Oldham County is the Middle School Teacher of the Year, and NyRee Clayton-Taylor of Jefferson County is the Elementary School Teacher of the Year. They joined Marsh and 21 others from across the state honored with 2019 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Awards, including Lindsey Depenbrock of Wellington Elementary, Brooke Powers of Beaumont Middle School, and Susan McLaughlin-Jones of Lafayette High School.
Marsh received $3,000 and a customized crystal award from Valvoline. McLaughlin-Jones, who was a finalist for High School Teacher of the Year, received a $500 cash award, as did Depenbrock and Powers. All 24 teachers took home framed certificates after the luncheon.
“I am inspired by the teachers recognized today. They represent the best of the teaching profession, and they deserve to be celebrated,” Lewis said. “These professionals are student-focused leaders inside and outside of their classrooms.”