App's Student Teacher of the Year serves at WAMS

Alec Rogers was named the Appalachian State University Student Teacher of the Year for the 2024-2025 academic year. Rogers, originally from Angier, North Carolina, completed their Bachelor of Science in middle grades education with a concentration in language arts and social studies in May 2025.

Rogers almost did not pursue a degree in education because of a fear of public speaking, but they knew that their sights were set on being an educator and teacher. 

“As such, I worked extremely hard to fix and make up for my lack of natural leadership skills by openly communicating with my professors and host teachers what skills I needed help with and asking for opportunities to practice those skills in their classrooms,” recounted Rogers. 

“While I knew that I was making an effort to improve my capabilities, I did not realize exactly how much I had grown until I was first nominated for the Student Teacher of the Year award,” said Rogers. “I am incredibly grateful to my university supervisor and my clinical educator for recognizing my efforts and supporting me throughout this journey.” 

“Being named Student Teacher of the Year is incredibly important to me for a number of reasons, but most importantly because it demonstrates that I am capable of being a good educator who is able to grow and mature, and make an impact in the lives of each and every one of my students,” said Rogers.

Emma Hatfield Sidden, Director of Clinical Education in the Reich College of Education, praised Rogers’ dedication and classroom presence.

“Alec Rogers has truly stood out as a leader in the classroom,” said Hatfield Sidden. “Feedback from peers, faculty, and their assigned clinical educator have all noted that Alec has a natural ability to build meaningful relationships with students while creating a positive and engaging learning environment.” 

“Alec represents the very best of what it means to be an educator prepared at App State,” she added.

Dr. Rachel Askew, assistant professor in the middle grades education program, has enjoyed getting to know Rogers this year and witnessing their passion and enthusiasm for education. 

“Alec is willing — and excited — to participate in discussions that center on what is best for all students, no matter how difficult that conversation might be,” observed Askew. “I have no doubt that Alec will continue to excel in teaching and make a significant impact on the lives of their students."

Initially, Rogers was hesitant about teaching middle school students. 

“I struggled to imagine my career teaching an age group that is commonly stereotyped with constant attitude problems,” said Rogers. “However, I realized that all of those biases and reservations I had about middle schoolers were completely untrue when I got to work with middle school students in my very first internship.”

“I learned for myself how intelligent, curious, and incredibly sweet they are,” Rogers added. “They have a remarkable capacity for kindness, and they love to help others when given the opportunity.”

“I knew prior to choosing App State that I had a passion for learning about and teaching language arts and social studies,” noted Rogers. “Finding a university that supported my learning and growth in those fields was crucial in my college decision.” 

“I chose App State because of its history and reputation as a strong university for those seeking careers in the field of education,” added Rogers.

This fall, Rogers will return to their hometown to teach seventh-grade social studies at Harnett Central Middle School.  

Rogers will represent Appalachian State University at the state level for the Student Teacher of the Year, which is offered by the North Carolina Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (NC-ACTE). The NC-ACTE winner will be announced at the organization’s annual fall meeting, September 24 - 26, 2025. This is the ninth year in a row that NC-ACTE will recognize an elite group of student teachers from each of its member institutions. 

Selection Process

Students are nominated by their clinical educators, University Field Supervisors, and faculty members based on their teaching, professionalism, and overall effectiveness in the classroom. Nominated students then submit a reflective narrative on their student teaching experience and three letters of recommendation. Finalists for each semester (fall and spring) are selected to compete for the top award. 

“I am incredibly proud of all of our student teachers,” said Hatfield Sidden. “Throughout their clinical experiences, they’ve grown from students of teaching into confident, capable teachers of students. It’s inspiring to watch that transformation.”

“Their passion, dedication, and resilience give me great hope for the future of education, and I can't wait to see the impact they will make as beginning teachers!"

Twelve student teachers were named finalists for Appalachian State University’s Student Teacher of the Year Award. They were Jessica Brown, Caroline Fortune, Jessica Hackman, Jessica Harker, Emma Henstock, Matt Marston, Gabbi Paonessa, Alec Rogers, Hadley Seifert, Elliott Sheehan, Audrey Wall, and Lillian Wiener.