One elementary school teacher, two high school teachers and one middle school teacher are starting 2022 right. A panel of six independent judges named four deserving individuals as finalists for the 2023 Lake County Schools Teacher of the Year.

The four finalists were notified by Superintendent Diane Kornegay; School Board members; a caravan of representatives from the district and the Education Foundation of Lake County, and various sponsors including Jenkins Auto Group, Insight Credit Union, Electric-Services, Inc. and Ernie Morris Enterprises.

The entourage visited Courtney Stokes, a science teacher at Tavares High; Patrick Kelly, a science teacher at Leesburg High; Danielle Newton, a 3rd grade teacher at Leesburg Elementary, and Jessica Woods, a literacy coach/AVID coordinator at Windy Hill Middle School, to honor each along with their respective principals, school staff and students.

At a celebration on Feb. 3, one of the four finalists will be named Lake’s newest Teacher of the Year and will drive away with the grand prize, a 2021 Nissan Rogue from Jenkins Auto Group. The Lake winner will go on to compete at the state level for the title of Florida Teacher of the Year.