Meet Cobb County Schools' Teacher Of The Year

MARIETTA, GA -- The Cobb County School District recently named Nicole Kempson as its 2017 Teacher of the Year. Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced the honor on August 11 as the new school year's second week came to a close.

The announcement, which took place in the Lindley Sixth Grade Academy gym, was a surprise for Kempson. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

Here is five things to know about Kempson, Cobb's Teacher of the Year.

She's a self-proclaimed science nerd

Kempson, who teaches earth science, is not opposed to using unorthodox methods. One time she lit a piece of paper on fire as part of her lesson. “I love my sixth graders. They are independent, and yet, they still need guidance,” the Teacher of the Year said. “I love what I do, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world," she said.

“I’m grateful! I’m thankful! I’m surprised! It is a great feeling,” Kempson, an earth science teacher at Lindley Sixth Grade Academy in Mableton, said of the announcement. She said her inspiration was her grandmother, who taught for 27 years and was in attendance.

Her grandmother paved the way for her

Kempson was inspired by someone close to her heart, her grandmother, who was an educator for 27 years.
“I wanted to be that teacher that changed the life of other students,” Kempson explained, according to a CCSD news release.

She's a singer and dancer -- in the classroom

Kempson's key to success is that she's not afraid of her individuality or her students.' “I tell them it is better to be different. I like it when you are different because when you are different no one can mimic you. Be your own person.”

Her classroom has a website! Pretty cool, right?

Kempon's classroom is on the World Wide Web, which makes it pretty cool in this day and age. Her website, Ms.Kempson's L.A.S.G.A. Earth Science Website, breaks down the study of Earth and the space around it. The class is broken up into 4 categories, geology, meteorology, oceanography and astronomy.

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Kempson is focused on the future: her students

Kempson said that she is flattered by the honor but wants to keep working with her sixth-graders so that they can continue to learn. “I’m going to do my best to keep doing what I’m doing and making sure my students have everything they need [in order] to know that where they are is not where they are going to end up,” Kempson said.

Images via Cobb County School District