By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – The University of Montevallo’s College of Education and Human Development held an awards dinner on Tuesday, Feb. 11 honoring alumni from the school that have positively contributed to the educational field.

The evening honored 10 separate individuals, each with deep experience in education across the state of Alabama. The awards are presented annually to alumni who have dedicated their lives to teaching.

Jasmine Boykin was honored for her work in counseling. She is an oncology counselor at the Hematology-Oncology Specialty Unit and the crisis counselor for the Hematology/Oncology Clinic and Radiation Oncology Clinic, both of which are located at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Boykin cares for those dealing with depression and distress associated with oncology care, and is the first graduate of the Psycho-Oncology Counseling Residency Program at UAB.

Jana Satterfield was honored for her work with the deaf and hard of hearing. She recently retired following a storied teaching career at Decatur City Schools. Satterfield also taught in the Athens City, Lauderdale County and Jefferson County school systems.

Dr. Neely Woodley, the principal of Thompson Middle School, was honored for her work in instructional leadership. Before her current role, Woodley served as an assistant principal at Thompson High School, where she also taught. Woodley has also previously served as an assistant principal at Spain Park High School, as the principal of the Thompson Sixth Grade Center and as a teacher at Montevallo High School.

Avery Wall was next honored for her work in elementary education. Wall is currently a third-grade teacher at Grantswood Community School, which is part of the Jefferson County School System. Wall was a finalist for Teacher of the Year in Jefferson County Schools in 2024 and was the Grantswood Community School Teacher of the Year in 2023.

Chris Oravet, a teacher at Calera Middle School, was honored for his contributions in the field of secondary education. Oravet was the Shelby County Schools Middle School Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 academic year. Before his career, he earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Auburn and a master’s of education from UM. He owns a Class A certification, and previously spent three years in the Republic of Korea teaching before working for Calera Middle.

Dr. Delores Williams was next honored for her work in the field of family and consumer science. Williams serves as CEO of the Creek Cultural Center, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating Native American heritage.

Sarah Anderson was honored as an alum of the UM Falcon Flight program. The program is a partnership with Shelby County Schools that provides opportunities to students with intellectual disabilities. Anderson currently works in the cafeteria at Anna Irvin Dining Hall.

The next three honorees were presented with specific awards for their work in education. Dr. Judith Harrington was presented with the Ernest Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award, Carla Marchant was presented with the Bill Fancher Staff Excellence Award and Dr. Lewis Brooks was presented with the Lifetime Commitment to Education Award.

Harrington works at UM, coordinating the Couples and Family Counseling major. Harrington also serves as the chair of the Advancement for Clinical Practice Committee for the American Mental Health Counselor’s Association. She also has previous experience working with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Marchant is the assistant director of the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative. She is a National Board Certified Teacher and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education and a Master of Arts in education from UAB.

Brooks serves as superintendent of the Shelby County School District. He has a storied career in public education spanning 32 years, and began serving as superintendent in 2018.

Under his leadership, Shelby County Schools has undertaken a $43 million capital campaign project that has upgraded classrooms and facilities throughout Shelby County. Brooks has received numerous awards for his service in education, including the Samford University Learning for Life Award and the University of Montevallo Distinguished Alumni Award.

For more information on the University of Montevallo, visit Montevallo.edu.