This year the 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year award goes to Mary Ewing. She teaches A.P. Literature, American Literature and Journalism at North Forsyth High School. North Forsyth had 5 nominees for teacher of the year; Mary Ewing, Meighan Basset, Heather Morre and Mellisa Combs. Ewing along with the other teachers were pulled aside to be interviewed by other teachers from Forsyth County Schools Lindsey Needham from Denmark High School, Jill McKee from North Forsyth Middle School and Michael Parker from West Forsyth High School.
These teachers had observed Ewing last Tuesday in her A.P. Literature class while they were preparing for an essay. They also asked her about the clubs she sponsors outside of school. She is the advisor of the Gay-Straight Alliance Club, the Black Student Union and the National English Honor Society.
Ewing has been teaching for eight years, and all eight years have been at North Forsyth. When asked about who or what inspired her career choice, she said “I had a teacher named Mr. Aderholt. I had him at West Forsyth High School. He was my A.P. Lang. teacher and my Comparative Lit. teacher. As a teacher he was passionate about English and about the literature that we read and it made me have that same passion.”
Ewing has always been a literature teacher, but surprisingly she did not always know that she wanted to be a teacher, “I went through college and I got my degree without considering it. And then I went back to get my Masters in teaching and that’s when I decided, I really do like this.”
When asked what this award means to her she replied with “I think this award is obviously a great honor, just to be considered for, but I think it gives me a lot of meaning and knowing that I’m creating a place where students feel like they can be themselves in my classroom. All I want is for people to express themselves freely without fear of judgment. And so I’m glad that is known about me.”
North is grateful to have Ewing as a teacher here at North and as the 2023-2024 teacher of the year.
