TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

Jackson Academy recognized the 2021-22 Teacher of the Year award recipients at the JAA’s annual Spring Faculty Appreciation Luncheon. Each year, one teacher from each division is selected by their peers to receive this distinction.

Ali Dinkins

Librarian Ali Dinkins received the Preschool Teacher of the Year Award for K3 and K4. Dinkins graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts. She started teaching at JA in 2017. “The most rewarding part of my job is teaching the character lessons revealed in the picture books I select for library time,” she said. “That is my opportunity to live out our JA mission of inspiring each student to live a life of purpose.”

LaDonna Whitney

Fourth-grade teacher LaDonna Whitney was awarded the Teacher of the Year Award for grades one through four. She graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. Whitney has taught fourth grade at JA since 2017. “The most rewarding part of teaching is when a student comes back to see you or writes you a letter telling you what you have meant to them,” she said. “Those are true treasures.”

Mallory Gnemi

Sixth-grade English teacher Mallory Gnemi received the Teacher of the Year Award for Middle School. She graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s in communications and public relations. She earned her master’s from Belhaven University in curriculum and institution in 2017. Gnemi has taught at JA for seven years, the last five in sixth grade. “The greatest part about every grade level being on one campus is that we always get to see our students- past, present, and future,” she said. “Being able to build relationships that last beyond the classroom is the most rewarding part.”

Chris Tucker

Social studies teacher Chris Tucker was awarded the Upper School Teacher of the Year Award. He began teaching at JA in 1984, remaining in the job his entire career. He completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social science with an emphasis in political science at Mississippi College. Tucker’s favorite JA memory is winning a state championship in soccer as head coach. He hopes that during his years on the JA faculty he has been able to pass along the value of JA’s culture, which he has personally experienced, to new teachers.