Moore County Schools recently held their annual banquet to honor the top educators throughout their district. During the banquet they announced that the 2023-24 Alternate Teacher of the Year is Mark Hildreth, the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year is Jennifer Blake, and the 2023-24 Principal of the Year is Debbie Warren.

Mr. Hildreth, English Language Arts teacher at Crain’s Creek Middle School, has been teaching for about 27 years. Mr. Hildreth gets excited for the opportunity to introduce youth to great literature, to see their reactions to the end of “The Lottery,” or to witness the first time a student really understands poetry. Mr. Hildreth represents Crain’s Creek Middle School as their 2023-24 Teacher of the Year and serves the district in a back-up capacity as the 2023-24 Alternate Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Blake, third grade teacher at Carthage Elementary School, was inspired to become a teacher by several teachers she had growing up. Ms. Blake is a highly dedicated professional who strives to make a difference in her students’ lives. She says that one must love teaching enough to survive it, describing that one has to love it, one has to get excited when those little “light bulb” moments happen, one has to be reflective and willing, not only to make changes, but to embrace mistakes when they happen.

When asked following the award presentation, what does this recognition mean to you, Ms. Blake is quoted in a press release to have stated, “I am overwhelmed with gratitude to have been selected to receive this award. It will be an honor to represent all of the incredible teachers here tonight as well as the entirety of the teaching community of Moore County. It means so much to me to have the work that I love so much be recognized. My kids are going to be so excited!”

Principal of the Year, Ms. Warren, has a long history of service to Moore County Schools, 36 years to be exact. Ms. Warren has worked to instill an atmosphere of continuous learning and improvement for both students and staff. She is a leader who exemplifies the term “Servant Leader.”

Ms. Warren stated in a press release, “It is such a great honor to be named Moore County Schools Principal of the Year for 2023-24! I accept this award on behalf of my colleagues. I know how hard they work and the challenges they face each day. What makes being a principal so rewarding, are the many positive relationships built with students, their families, staff, and community. I will always cherish the individuals who have helped me reach this recognition.”