LINCOLNTON – North Lincoln High School teacher, Fara Dellinger, has been named Lincoln County Schools 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year and has a brand new car from Stasney’s Buick-Pontiac-GMC in Lincolnton to drive for a year.
Dellinger said that she wanted to be a teacher because she “wanted to be someone who consciously made an impact and attempted to help other reach their full potential.” With this in mind, Dellinger attended Western Carolina University and graduated in 1995 with a BS in Mathematics. She was named NCCTM Western Region Outstanding Mathematics Education Student in 1995 as well.
Buddy Stasney of Stasney’s Buick-Pontiac-GMC was on hand to deliver to Dellinger a brand new car for her to drive for one year. This is the seventh year Buddy Stasney’s dealership has generously offered a vehicle to the LCS Teacher of the Year. Officials with the Lincoln County School system said they greatly appreciate what the dealership does for teachers and the community.
Stasney said that it was their honor to help.
“This represents our strong commitment to the community and local schools. I would encourage other businesses to work hard to help and support our educators,” said Stasney.
Receiving the designation and car was quite a surprise to Dellinger. Her husband, Taylor, found out about it on Thursday.
(Photo: Buddy Stasney talks with Fara Dellinger as he hands over the keys to her new car.)
“I knew it on Thursday when I got the call. It was hard to keep a secret all weekend,” he said.
Dellinger’s first teaching job was at Statesville High School and then she moved to Guilford County where she taught seven years at Southwest Guilford High School. At the end of the 2001-2002 school year, she was named Guilford County’s Teacher of the Year. In 2004, Dellinger moved to Hickory and began working at North Lincoln High School as a Calculus teacher. In 2006, 91% of her AP Calculus students passed the AP exam. Last spring, 100% of her students passed the exam.
During her time at North Lincoln High School, Dellinger has served as a member of the School Improvement Team and currently serves as Chairperson of that committee. Dellinger, along with another teacher Ms. Fletcher, started a Math Club at North Lincoln High this year and took a group of students to a competition in Charlotte. The team placed third among non-Mecklenburg county teams their first year.
Mrs. Dellinger has been a member of the NCAE throughout her career and has served as the local building representative since 1998. She is also a member of the North Carolina Association for Advanced Placement Math Teachers and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics. Mrs. Dellinger stated that her greatest reward comes when a student “shows a spark, a gleam of excitement that leads them to understanding.” She hopes that all of her students will, in the words of Cervantes, “dream the impossible dream to reach the unreachable star.”
Dr. David Martin, Lincoln County Schools Superintendent said: “Fara represents all teachers and the powerful and lifelong legacy they leave with their students”.
Martin continued: “Being named Lincoln County Schools Teacher of the Year is indicative of Dellinger’s commitment to her students and her profession.”
Rick Freeman, Principal of North Lincoln High School stated, “It is an absolute joy to work with a teacher like Fara Dellinger. She does a wonderful job in the classroom, no matter if she is working with advanced students or at-risk students.”
Freeman added: “Her leadership as a staff member is invaluable to North Lincoln High School. She is completely deserving of being named Lincoln County Schools Teacher of the Year and the entire staff of the school is delighted for her to receive this award.”
Dellinger will continue on to the regional level of the NC Teacher of the Year competition.
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By Beth Saine
