Featured Top Story Spotlight Sixth grade teacher named McDowell County Schools Teacher of the Year From Staff Reports Jun 1, 2026 Jun 1, 2026 Updated Jul 9, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Jennifer Blake has been selected as the 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year for McDowell County Schools.kAmq=2<6 4FCC6?E=J E62496D D:IE9\8C256 >2E9 2E u@@E9:==D r@>>F?:EJ $49@@=]k^AmkAm$E6A92?:6 #@=2?5 92D 366? ?2>65 t=6>6?E2CJ %62496C @7 E96 *62C] #@=2?5 E62496D E9:C5 8C256 2E !=62D2?E v2C56?D t=6>6?E2CJ $49@@=[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 ?6HD C6=62D6 7C@> |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D]k^AmkAmpDD:DE2?E $FA6C:?E6?56?ED p>J s@H5=6[ rCJDE2= w2>3J 2?5 r925 |2CD9[ 2=@?8 H:E9 $FA6C:?E6?56?E %C24J vC:E[ G:D:E65 3@E9 D49@@=D E@ DFCAC:D6 E96 E62496CD H:E9 E96 2??@F?46>6?E :? 7C@?E @7 E96:C DEF56?ED 2?5 4@==628F6D]k^Am People are also reading… North Carolina sets first elk hunt for 2027. Here's when it will be and who can participate This group of McDowell County 8-year-olds is competing in the Babe Ruth World Series Inside the story of the Burnsville Batman, a NC town's caped crusader USA World Cup winners and losers: Unforgettable summer ends on sour note Is it legal to ride in a truck bed in NC? Road laws to know this summer How a Marine veteran bought a new home without paying a dollar in upfront closing costs After 30 years at Baxter, McDowell Tech student is building her next career Camping World property in Marion sold to Christian mission organization West Caldwell cancels varsity football. What does this mean for other Catawba Valley teams? Byrd’s Auto Sales in Marion to close after 40 years. "The time has come for us to slow down" Man hit, killed by utility pole being dragged by semi-truck in Catawba County Duke Energy, N.C. officials reach deal on rate hike. Customer bills to go up 9.5% Marion mayor speaks on election year changes made by state legislature McDowell County woman accused of stabbing sleeping man with pocketknife Atrium pushes back after State Health Plan leaves healthcare network out of Tier 1 kAmp== D49@@=\=6G6= H:??6CD H6C6 2=D@ C64@8?:K65 2E E96 2??F2= t5F42E:@?2= v2=2[ H9:49 9@?@CD E96 565:42E:@?[ A2DD:@? 2?5 4@>>:E>6?E @7 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D 65F42E@CD]k^AmkAm%96 724F=EJ 2E 6249 D49@@= :? E96 5:DEC:4E D6=64ED 2 D49@@= H:??6C 6249 J62C 2D A2CE @7 E96 }@CE9 r2C@=:?2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 !F3=:4 x?DECF4E:@? %62496C @7 E96 *62C AC@46DD] t249 D49@@= H:??6C F?56C8@6D 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 6G2=F2E:@? 32D65 @? 2 AC@76DD:@?2= A@CE7@=:@[ 4=2DDC@@> @3D6CG2E:@? 2?5 2? :?E6CG:6H H:E9 E96 5:DEC:4E D6=64E:@? 4@>>:EE66] %9:D C:8@C@FD AC@46DD 4F=>:?2E6D :? E96 5:DEC:4E 9@?@C:?8 2? 6=6>6?E2CJ 2?5 2 D64@?52CJ E62496C @7 E96 J62C] ~?6 @7 E9@D6 EH@ 65F42E@CD :D E96? D6=64E65 2D E96 @G6C2== |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D %62496C @7 E96 *62C 2?5 H:== C6AC6D6?E E96 5:DEC:4E 2E E96 C68:@?2= =6G6=]k^Am kAmq=2<6 3682? 96C 42C66C H:E9 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D 2D 2 4@?EC24E65 t?8=:D9 2D 2 D64@?5 =2?8F286 E62496C 7C@> a__b E@ a__e[ E96? 3642>6 2 7F==\E:>6 46CE:7:65 E62496C @? yF=J `_[ a__e]k^AmkAm$96 92D 565:42E65 >@C6 E92? `h J62CD @7 D6CG:46 E@ E96 DEF56?ED @7 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ] %9C@F89@FE 96C 42C66C[ q=2<6 92D D6CG65 DEF56?ED 2E t2DE7:6=5 v=@32= |28?6E $49@@=[ v=6?H@@5 t=6>6?E2CJ $49@@= 2?5[ 4FCC6?E=J[ u@@E9:==D r@>>F?:EJ $49@@=[ H96C6 D96 E62496D D:IE9\8C256 >2E9]k^AmkAmr@==628F6D 56D4C:36 q=2<6 2D 2? 65F42E@C H9@ 3F:=5D DEC@?8 C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 DEF56?ED H9:=6 4C62E:?8 6?828:?8 =62C?:?8 6IA6C:6?46D E92E :?DA:C6 4@?7:56?46 2?5 249:6G6>6?E] w6C 4@>>:E>6?E E@ DEF56?E DF446DD 2?5 96C A2DD:@? 7@C 65F42E:@? 92G6 >256 2 =2DE:?8 :>A24E @? E96 DEF56?ED 2?5 72>:=:6D D96 D6CG6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?6HD C6=62D6]k^Am kAmq=2<6 D2:5[ “x 2> 566A=J 9@?@C65 E@ 36 ?2>65 %62496C @7 E96 *62C 7@C |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D] ~FC 5:DEC:4E :D 7:==65 H:E9 @FEDE2?5:?8 2?5 565:42E65 65F42E@CD[ 2?5 x 2> ECF=J 9F>3=65 3J E9:D C64@8?:E:@?] x 2> :?4C65:3=J 8C2E67F= 7@C E96 DFAA@CE @7 >J DEF56?ED[ 4@==628F6D[ 25>:?:DEC2E@CD[ 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ] |J DEF56?ED :?DA:C6 >6 6G6CJ 52J H:E9 E96:C C6D:=:6?46[ 8C@HE9[ 2?5 56E6C>:?2E:@?[ 2?5 :E :D 2 AC:G:=686 E@ 36 A2CE @7 E96:C ;@FC?6J]”k^AmkAm#@=2?5 3682? 96C 42C66C H:E9 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D 2D 2 E62496C 2DD:DE2?E :? pF8FDE a__c 367@C6 >@G:?8 :?E@ 2 E6249:?8 A@D:E:@? :? s646>36C a__e] $96 92D D6CG65 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D 7@C >@C6 E92? a` J62CD] %9C@F89@FE 96C J62CD :? 65F42E:@?[ #@=2?5 92D 56>@?DEC2E65 F?H2G6C:?8 565:42E:@? E@ DEF56?ED 2?5 2 4@>>:E>6?E E@ 7@DE6C:?8 2 A@D:E:G6[ ?FCEFC:?8 =62C?:?8 6?G:C@?>6?E]k^Am kAm#@=2?5 D2:5[ “xE :D 2? 9@?@C E@ C6AC6D6?E !=62D2?E v2C56?D t=6>6?E2CJ 2?5 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D 2D t=6>6?E2CJ %62496C @7 E96 *62C] %6249:?8 92D 2=H2JD 366? >@C6 E92? 2 ;@3 E@ >6 — :E :D D@>6E9:?8 x 92G6 76=E 42==65 E@ 5@ 7@C 2D =@?8 2D x 42? C6>6>36C] x 2> 8C2E67F= 7@C E96 DEF56?ED[ 72>:=:6D[ 4@H@C<6CD[ 2?5 >6?E@CD H9@ 92G6 D92A65 >6 E9C@F89@FE E9:D ;@FC?6J] x 2> AC@F5 E@ H@C< 2=@?8D:56 65F42E@CD H9@ 2C6 566A=J 4@>>:EE65 E@ 96=A:?8 DEF56?ED 8C@H :?E@ 4@?7:56?E =62C?6CD[ AC@3=6> D@=G6CD[ 2?5 <:?5 :?5:G:5F2=D]”k^AmkAms:DEC:4E =6256CD AC2:D65 #@=2?5 7@C 96C D6CG2?E =6256CD9:A[ 4@>A2DD:@?2E6 2AAC@249 E@ 65F42E:@?[ 2?5 23:=:EJ E@ 7@DE6C >62?:?87F= C6=2E:@?D9:AD H:E9 DEF56?ED 2?5 4@==628F6D 2=:<6] w6C 565:42E:@? E@ 96=A:?8 DEF56?ED DF44665 3@E9 24256>:42==J 2?5 A6CD@?2==J 6I6>A=:7:6D E96 >:DD:@? 2?5 G2=F6D @7 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?6HD C6=62D6]k^Am kAm$FA6C:?E6?56?E %C24J vC:E D2:5[ “y6??:76C q=2<6 2?5 $E6A92?:6 #@=2?5 C6AC6D6?E E96 G6CJ 36DE @7 |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D] %96:C 4@>>:E>6?E E@ DEF56?ED[ A2DD:@? 7@C E6249:?8[ 2?5 565:42E:@? E@ 6I46==6?46 2C6 6G:56?E :? E96 A@D:E:G6 :>A24E E96J >2<6 6G6CJ 52J] (6 2C6 AC@F5 E@ 9@?@C E96> 2?5 46=63C2E6 E96:C 244@>A=:D9>6?ED]”k^AmkAmpD E96 @G6C2== |4s@H6== r@F?EJ $49@@=D %62496C @7 E96 *62C[ q=2<6 H:== C6AC6D6?E E96 5:DEC:4E 2E E96 }@CE9H6DE #68:@?2= %62496C @7 E96 *62C 4@>A6E:E:@? =2E6C E9:D J62C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 ?6HD C6=62D6]k^Am 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular After 30 years at Baxter, McDowell Tech student is building her next career "If you want to pursue it, go for it. Nobody's in your way but you. You are your greatest asset," she said. NC has changed teacher licensure laws. How it could impact your child’s school North Carolina’s public schools could have an easier time recruiting and retaining educators as a result of changes to teacher licensure laws … Watch Now: Related Video Trump and Xi set for high-stakes AI showdown this September DR Congo's Ebola outbreak becomes fastest ever recorded DR Congo's Ebola outbreak becomes fastest ever recorded Chickenpox outbreak spreads across Gaza’s overcrowded tent camps Chickenpox outbreak spreads across Gaza’s overcrowded tent camps GDP Rises Above Expectations Despite Recession Fears GDP Rises Above Expectations Despite Recession Fears Recommended for you
After 30 years at Baxter, McDowell Tech student is building her next career "If you want to pursue it, go for it. Nobody's in your way but you. You are your greatest asset," she said.
NC has changed teacher licensure laws. How it could impact your child’s school North Carolina’s public schools could have an easier time recruiting and retaining educators as a result of changes to teacher licensure laws …
