KCTE/LA - 2024 Award Winners

Elementary School ELA Teacher of the Year:

Ms. Abby Stemmer, Campbell Ridge Elementary School

Hello! My name is Abby Stemmer; I have had the pleasure of teaching 2nd grade at Campbell Ridge Elementary School in Northern Kentucky for the past nine years. I graduated from NKU with an undergraduate degree in elementary and special education. I also have a Master’s in Teacher as a Leader from NKU and just received my Rank 1 from Green River Regional Educational Cooperative last year. I am married to my husband and have three wonderful girls at home. Since my household is full of girls, my classroom theme is superheroes, and we got all out, superhero capes and all! I aim for everyone to feel comfortable, successful, and loved in my classroom.

Middle School ELA Teacher of the Year:

Mr. Perry Dixon, W.E.B. Dubois Academy (JCPS)

Perry Dixon is an English teacher from Louisville, Kentucky, and a 2007 J. Graham Brown School (JCPS) graduate. He teaches 8th-grade English at W.E.B. DuBois Academy in Louisville, where he lives with his wife and daughter. His calling is to serve as a teacher with and among students in diverse learning communities for their education, liberation, and lifelong flourishing.

High School ELA Teacher of the Year:

Ms. Jennifer Freyer, Harlan County High School

Ms. Freyer has been teaching theatre & creative writing at Harlan County High School since 2017 after spending a year as a professional director at B Street Theatre in Sacramento, California, and working with the Kentucky Department of Community-Based Services. She received her bachelor's degree in dramatic arts from Centre College and her master's in teaching from the University of the Cumberlands. She is the director of the Black Bear Players and chartered a theatre honor society troupe through the International Thespian Society, in addition to serving as a gifted & talented liaison for the high school, team lead for various cohorts & professional learning teams, and the upcoming director of the Eastern Kentucky Dramatic Arts Society. Ms. Freyer directs four high school shows a year and is a grateful mentor to many students who have attended the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts.

Special Education Teacher of the Year:

Nate Owens, Campbell County Middle School

My name is Nate Owens, I am 31 years old and hold two degrees. I graduated from Northern Kentucky University in 2016 with a degree in English literature focusing on theatre-acting. I then received a degree in special education in 2019 from the University of Cincinnati. I have been teaching for three years. My wife, Carmen Owens, and I share one son together, Ashton Owens (3 years old), and have been happily settled in Cincinnati, Ohio since 2020.

Pre-service ELA Teacher of the Year:

Logan Funderburg, W.E.B. Dubois Academy (JCPS)

Logan Funderburg recently graduated from Bellarmine University with a Masters in the Art of Teaching degree. Before he decided to become a teacher, Logan studied English and creative writing at Bellarmine, cultivating a passion for poetry and the modernism era of literature. His inspiration for teaching comes from being an older brother to two younger siblings. In the end, he hopes to be the older brother figure for anyone who needs it.

Administrator of the Year:

Mandy Young, Carroll County Middle School

I am a veteran teacher of 19 years, all of those spent in the middle school setting, and a National Board Certified Math Teacher. As an instructional coach, I have had the opportunity to share my love of learning with teachers in all subject areas, who then pass that passion on to their students. I am honored to be part of their educational journey. I currently serve as an Instructional Coach at Carroll County Middle School.

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