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Four Oaks Elementary teacher earns Flame for Learning award
from June 2022
by Johnston Now
Submitted by JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SELMA — Four Oaks Elementary School third grade teacher Jennifer Beninate was named the 2022 Johnston County Teacher of the Year at the annual Flame for Learning Award banquet in April.
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Because of the importance of teachers in developing and educating children, the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce adopted the Flame For Learning Award. Their goal is to support and elevate the teaching profession in the public schools. This award recognizes outstanding creativity and innovation in the classroom, and nominees are selected strictly on merit, without regard to school or residence.
Through a blind judging process, 20 semifinalists were selected to move on to the interview phase and submitted a best practice from the classroom. The semifinalists represented 18 schools from across Johnston County.
The other finalists for the award were Amanda Astoske of Smithfield- Selma High, Amanda Jackson of South Smithfield Elementary and Melissa Pearce of Cleveland High.
Beninate will move forward to represent Johnston County in the regional competition, which is a part of the competition for North Carolina’s Teacher of the Year. She received $1,000 for being named the Flame for Learning Award recipient.
Astoske, Jackson and Pearce received $500, and the semifinalists for the award received $100 each. All of the cash awards were made possible thanks to the Flame for Learning Award sponsors.
Four Oaks Elementary School third grade teacher Jennifer Beninate was named the 2022 Johnston County Teacher of the Year at the annual Flame for Learning Award banquet in April.
The 20 semifinalists for the Flame for Learning award were Beninate, Astoske, Jackson, Pearce, Abigail Valdes, Cooper Elementary; Beverly Harper, Smithfield Middle; Brandy Williams, Selma Elementary; Carlos Jimenez, Selma Middle; Gail R. Lawhorn, River Dell Elementary; Karen Newhart, Riverwood Elementary; Kristine Gear, Innovation Academy; Lee Hudson, West Johnston High; LiAnn Cheong, Riverwood Elementary; Maria Eby, Dixon Road Elementary; Meredith Rakowski, Clayton High; Patience Spivey, Smithfield Middle; Rachel Hardin, West View Elementary; Robin Tingle, Thanksgiving Elementary; Shannon Gibson, Pine Level Elementary and Will Marshall, West Johnston High.
This year’s Flame For Learning program was made possible by several sponsors, including Chickfil-A of Smithfield, Walmart, InterState Outdoor Inc., Johnston County Education Foundation, Pine Needle Square, Ryan Taylor Insurance & Financial Services, Rep. Donna McDowell White, The Armstrong Law Firm, Simple Twist and the Committee to Elect Rick Mercier.
The banquet was held at The Farm at 42 in Selma, and was hosted and catered by Johnston County Public Schools.
