Batesburg-Leesville, SC (Mackenzie Taylor) - On Thursday, September 20th, B-L Primary School Media Specialist Amy Bedenbaugh was named as the new Lexington County School District Three Teacher of the Year during a special banquet that was held at Southern Occasions in the historic Batesburg district. Other Teacher of the Year finalists included Rebecca Rodgers from B-L Elementary School, Christy Richardson from B-L Middle School and Maggee Ellis from B-L High School. Mrs. Bedenbaugh was selected to be the new District Three Teacher of the Year by a panel of judges who scored each of the Teacher of the Year finalists during a classroom observation period and one-on-one interview.
Mrs. Bedenbaugh has worked in Lexington Three for the past twenty years. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from the College of Charleston and a Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina. Mrs. Bedenbaugh says she loves working in this district because the students and staff feel like they are a part of her family, adding that it’s fulfilling to be able to teach some of the town’s youngest citizens and then watch them grow and mature academically and in extracurricular activities. Mrs. Bedenbaugh and her husband, Andy, have three children--Hunter, age 19; Caroline, age 17; and Catherine, age 15. She says she believes that teaching is the most important profession in our world today and that without dedicated and highly competent teachers, no other job would exist.
“I truly love what I do and I try to let that show in my enthusiasm for my students. Working in a primary school, it is impossible for me to count the number of hugs I get each day. It is hard for me to have a bad day when I am shown that much positivity and love by my students. I enjoy seeing these students succeed, but I equally enjoy hearing about their interests and successes outside of school. To be an effective teacher I have to be able to inspire my students so that they want to learn,” said Mrs. Bedenbaugh.
Mrs. Bedenbaugh and the other Teacher of the Year finalists received a host of gifts and prizes from local community members, businesses and organizations including the B-L Chamber of Commerce, Boutique 527 (now RUSH Clothing Company), Mrs. Judy Turner Fox, Kenneth Shuler Schools of Cosmetology, Lexington County School District Three, Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative, Oswald Wholesale Lumber, Shealy’s BBQ, Shear Pleasure Hair Salon, Unique Image Hair Salon, Wiz’s Eatery, and the Woman’s Society of Batesburg-Leesville. Mrs. Bedenbaugh also received the keys to a new Chevrolet Malibu courtesy of Herlong Chevrolet-Buick in Batesburg-Leesville. She will have the privilege of driving the car for the rest of the school year as part of a partnership between Herlong Chevrolet-Buick and Lexington School District Three.
Mrs. Bedenbaugh will go on to compete in the South Carolina Teacher of the Year competition, which begins in January.
Amy Bedenbaugh (right), a Media Specialist at B-L Primary School, is the new Lexington County School District Three Teacher of the Year. She is pictured with BLPS Principal Dawn Harden.
