Shelby County&8217;s finest elementary, middle and high school teachers were honored at the &8220;Teacher of the Year&8221; reception last Thursday, Nov. 30 at Oak Mountain High School.

Sponsored by the Greater Shelby County Education Foundation, the program honored an outstanding teacher from every school in the county.

From that list of 35 candidates, the three top winners were selected as the elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year. The top teachers were Dell Moody, high school teacher of the year; Kathleen Brotherton, middle school teacher of the year; and Judith Metheny, elementary school teacher of the year.

Moody has taught for 35 years and currently teaches the success program and English at the School of Technology in Columbiana. Moody said her greatest responsibility is to help students grow and mature into independent men and women.

Brotherton has taught for eight years and currently teaches eighth grade literature at Thompson Middle School. In her nomination letter, Brotherton wrote that a teacher is like a guardian angel and that teaching &8220;is not something I do, it&8217;s who I am.&8221;

Metheny has taught for 23 years and currently teaches third grade at Mt. Laurel Elementary School. She was praised for her hands-on classroom instruction. For example, when her class studied Japanese culture, Metheny served a traditional Japanese meal, eaten with chopsticks while sitting on the floor.

Other &8220;Teacher of the Year&8221; candidates who were honored in county elementary schools included:

Michael House, Calera Elementary; Vickie Birdsong, Chelsea Elementary; David Smith, Creek View Elementary; Jenni Lespi, Elvin Hill Elementary; Debbie Patterson, Helena Elementary; Sarah Hopper, Helena Intermediate; Betsy Hefner, Inverness Elementary; Michele Murray, Linda Nolen Learning Center; Cindy Hutter, Meadow View Elementary; Deloris Maryland Stoudmire, Montevallo Elementary; Ellen Moon; Oak Mountain Elementary; Kristi Wade, Oak Mountain Intermediate; Michelle Griswold, Shelby Elementary; Claire Hoffman, Thompson Intermediate; Connie Madonia, Valley Elementary; Rebecca Wright, Valley Intermediate; Margaret Battle, Vincent Elementary; and Dee Pinkleton, Wilsonville Elementary;

From county middle schools winners were Julie Yeager, Chelsea Middle; Laura McDonald, Columbiana Middle; Beverly Woodham, Montevallo Middle; John Edwin Croom, Oak Mountain Middle; and Beth House, Thompson Middle.

From county high school and technical schools, winners included Jerry Wasley, Alternative School; Ted Seabury, Calera Middle/High; Lisa Kirkpatrick, Chelsea High; Richard Colley, Montevallo High; W. Donald Clayton, Jr., Oak Mountain High; Beth Groom-Tiffin, Pelham High; Steve Latham, Shelby County High School; George Willis Allen, Thompson High; and Landon Manning, Vincent Middle/High