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Shelby County High School business education teacher Karlee Merrell

As a graduate of Shelby County High School, what does it mean that you get to teach in the same high school where you are an alum? 

I grew up here in the community, attended Shelby County Schools, and still live here. It is such a privilege to get to pour into your hometown. It means a lot to me to be a teacher here at Shelby County High School because I get to create lessons or projects that involve students in their community. We have a ton of support from the community and it really goes to show just how special this town and school are. It’s fun to see students and their families on Friday nights at the football games or out at town events. 

What makes Shelby County High School a special place to be a teacher?

Shelby County High School is a special place to be a teacher because of the culture and environment of the school. We are a close knit school where teachers support each other, the admin supports teachers and students, and students rally together to cheer each other on. The sense of community this school exudes is what makes it such a special place. 

What does it mean to you to be named this year’s Shelby County High School Teacher of the Year? 

I felt incredibly grateful that my fellow co-workers thought so highly of me and the work my students have been doing. I have had so much help and guidance from my colleagues, mentors, admin and teacher friends. The support goes to show just how special SCHS is because everyone is so willing to help you be successful. My students’ Digital Media work is shared on social media platforms and put out into the community so it makes me smile seeing how the community responds to their great works!

When you get to school each day, what is the one goal you have for the day? 

One goal I have for each day is to ensure my students know they matter. I push my students to find something they are passionate about and to go for it! I have a quote by Dolly Parton outside of my classroom that says, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose”. Each of my students bring something positive to the classroom- we just need to identify what that might be and do our best at it each day! 

What is your favorite aspect of being an educator? 

The students!!! 100%. I hear a common misconception often about high school students- that they are “just kids”, but these students have so much potential and heart. Career Tech allows them to begin planning for their future and this has been one of my favorite things about being a teacher- watching their dreams come true!! The 2024 graduation class was my first graduating class as a teacher. I had a student who wanted to attend the University of Alabama. She worked so hard to get there. She set goals for herself and I was able to be a proud teacher and watch her walk across the stage in May and receive her high school diploma. When we returned to school in August, I had an envelope delivered to me with a photo of that student pursuing her dreams in Tuscaloosa. I was so very proud and hung her picture up in my classroom as a reminder each and everyday why I do what I do.

Each teacher has their own touch with the job, what is it that you try to bring to the classroom each day? 

I love my content area because it does help students plan for their future. So many times I hear students say, “When would I ever use that in life” when we discuss other content topics. But the standards I teach and the projects we complete, teach them valuable lessons to carry out into the world after high school. I want all my students to plug in and find something they love!

How do you create a learning environment that is engaging and fun for the students? When planning lessons for each class that I teach, I always relate the lessons back to their lives. How does this relate to what’s going on now? How could this relate to real life outside of school? And how could I apply this in the workforce? Because I teach Career & Technical education, there are always ways to relate the content to the students’ futures. It creates a sense of purpose for the students when completing assignments. For example, when my Marketing Principles classes learn about creating and designing promotional materials, we create school based promotional items such as the school newsletter called “The Shelby Co. Times” and we learn the importance of an official document while creating a newsletter that allows students to showcase their works and their school. Students show pride in their school and in their works through the newsletter! It’s one of my favorite publications we do monthly. 

What ultimately made you decide to become a teacher? 

After graduating from SCHS, I attended Troy University where I studied Global Business and Marketing. My family is full of educators- my mom and sister both teach 1st grade- Elvin Hill Elementary and Wilsonville Elementary, so I wanted to be different and study business instead. I graduated from Troy and moved back home. I worked for 2 years as a Marketing Specialist but I knew I loved learning and teaching. This is when I decided to go back to school to study secondary education. I am so thankful I followed God’s plan! Watching my students make connections between content and apply these skills to their lives makes the career swap so worth it. There is so much more to teaching than just the content. Creating a positive rapport with the students and pouring into them is the best part of the job. I hope each student who walks into my room knows they matter, they can make a difference, and they make SCHS a better place!