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School employees are working to inspire Macon-area kids. What makes them shine

Stories by Macon Telegraph journalists, with AI summarization

A teacher, a community leader and literacy coaches are striving to help and inspire students in Macon-area schools.

1. Amber Washington was awarded Teacher of the Year for her work in Houston County Schools. She believes in being authentic while teaching, demonstrating you can succeed without compromising who you are. She is a fifth-grade English language arts teacher at Centerville Elementary School.

2. Dominique Johnson, pastor of Kingdom Life Church in east Macon, serves as a truancy intervention specialist for Bibb County School District. He works to improve attendance by engaging the community and addressing root causes of absenteeism, aiming to create an ecosystem of support for students.

3. Literacy coaches in Bibb County have improved reading scores, demonstrating their effectiveness in aiding student comprehension and teacher practice.

Read more in the stories below:

Fifth grade teacher Amber Washington stands in front of her class on the first day of school on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at Centerville Elementary School in Centerville, Georgia. The Houston County School District awarded Washington District Teacher of the Year for the 2025-2026 school year. By Katie Tucker/The Telegraph

NO. 1: ‘BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF.’ HOUSTON COUNTY SCHOOLS TEACHER EARNS TOP HONOR

When Amber Washington heard her name announced as the Houston County School District’s 2025–26 Teacher of the Year, she was so stunned that her mouth dropped open — and stayed that way long enough for a school custodian, watching the ceremony virtually, to yell at her through the screen to close it. | Published August 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Myracle Lewis

Pastor Dominique Johnson of Kingdom Life Church in east Macon was recently appointed to serve as the Bibb County School District’s new truancy intervention specialist.

NO. 2: MEET THE PASTOR HELPING TO BRIDGE GAPS BETWEEN MACON STUDENTS, SCHOOLS

With the new school year underway, the Bibb County School District is turning to a familiar face to tackle a persistent challenge: | Published August 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Myracle Lewis

The Bibb County School District office sits off of Mulberry Street on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in downtown Macon, Georgia. By Katie Tucker/The Telegraph

NO. 3: LITERACY COACHES WERE PLACED IN 8 UNDERPERFORMING MACON SCHOOLS. DID THEY HELP?

The Georgia Department of Education’s move to place full-time literacy coaches in 60 of the state’s high-need elementary schools is producing results in the Bibb County School District and elsewhere, data show. | Published September 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Myracle Lewis

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.