POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. — Powhatan High School teacher Paula Duncan was named Region 1 Teacher of the Year during a surprise ceremony Tuesday.
Duncan teaches AP Human Geography and World History II and serves as the Social Studies Department Chair at the school, where she has taught for 25 years. She has been a teacher for 30 years total, starting at Powhatan High School in 1999.
"I was overwhelmed with joy and couldn't believe that I would be selected for Region Teacher of the Year, because it is quite an accomplishment to be recognized on that level," Duncan said following the surprise announcement. "I could not have gotten this award without thanking my colleagues. We support one another every day. The students that I teach are amazing. The staff that I work with, the administration and the overall central office staff that support us."
Duncan said she loves teaching because of her students and the community.
"I'm very blessed, because our community is amazing. We have amazing kids, we have amazing support staff, and I love the subject matter."
"Mrs. Duncan sets a standard of teaching that inspires students every day," Virginia Superintendent of Instruction Jenna Conway said in a written statement. "Her ability to connect history to students' lives while challenging them to think critically about the world around them reflects the very best of the teaching profession."
Powhatan High School Principal Mike Pierce said Duncan brings unique real-world experience to her teaching, having traveled extensively around the world.
"When she teaches AP Human Geography, for example, that's a class where you spend a whole unit on culture. So you can go in her classroom, and she knows the content, but she also has that added direct experience having gone to these places and met these people and ate the food and felt the sounds and sights and everything, and so she just really motivates and engages her students," Pierce said.
Pierce said keeping the award secret was challenging but praised his staff for their flexibility in organizing the surprise ceremony.
Region 1 consists of schools in Central Virginia including: Charles City County, Chesterfield County, Colonial Heights, Dinwiddie County, Goochland County, Hanover County, Henrico County, Hopewell, New Kent County, Petersburg, Powhatan County, Prince George County, Richmond, Surry County, and Sussex County.
The statewide Virginia Teacher of the Year will be announced in December.
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