This year’s Teacher of the Year award went to English teacher Kassie Mount.

“I was beyond excited when I found out that I had been named Manteo High School’s Teacher of the Year! I’m truly humbled and honored to think that my colleagues would even consider me for such an award,” Mount said.

Mount has been teaching for seven years, with four years here at MHS. Mount knew she wanted to become a English teacher when she was a junior in high school.

“[I realized] that by becoming an English teacher, I could teach students how to read, write and more; I could forever contribute to students’ lives by facilitating their exploration of life choices, successes, and failures all by safely observing the stories of others,” Mount said.

Mount has been more than pleased by her time in education and the impact she’s had on her students.

“My favorite thing about being a teacher is getting to interact with students everyday and watch you grow as people. There are never any dull moments in the life of a high school teacher — you all make sure of that! I am a better person because of the students that I teach; I hope that they can say the same of me,” Mount said.

The Teacher of the Year award is given to a teacher that has been teaching at the same school for at least four years and who the faculty feels is deserving. The winner of the award goes on to compete at the district level.

“Mrs. Mount didn’t get her teacher of the year title for nothing. She cares for her students and won’t let them down, helping them through any problems a student may have,” sophomore Joseph Lewter said.