LEXINGTON, SC – American Leadership Academy Lexington teacher Mary Elizabeth (M.E.) Farmer was named the 2024-2025 Nathan Yon Institute Teacher of the Year at the Charter Institute at Erskine’s Awards Banquet on May 16.
“I met Mr. Nathan Yon several times and he became an inspiration to me as an educator, so to accept an award with his namesake is an incredible honor,” said Ms. Farmer. “I am eager to advocate for charter schools and represent Institute teachers across South Carolina. I love my students and I love what I do, and I can’t wait for this journey.”
Farmer is a middle school science teacher and a resident of Lexington. She has taught for 24 years and was instrumental in the school’s first year of operation. Prior to ALA Lexington, she taught at various schools, including Heritage Christian Academy (Lexington, SC), Ben Lippen School (Columbia, SC), the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (Hartsville, SC), Lexington School District One, and Spartanburg School District Five.
The Institute’s Teacher of the Year selection process is intensive and incorporates both in-person and online components. Institute schools nominate their Teachers of the Year, and then teachers apply to become the Institute Teacher of the Year. The Institute’s panel of judges, including the previous year’s Teacher of the Year, retired educators, and Institute staff, selects the top five finalists.
Farmer was chosen as a finalist along with four other educators – Kelly Surber (Royal Live Oaks Academy of the Arts and Sciences), Jennifer Timmerman (South Carolina Connections Academy), Heather McCraw (South Carolina Virtual Charter School), and John Huggins (Virtus Academy of South Carolina). Finalists attended “Interview Day” at the Institute’s office in Columbia where they participated in an interview, a roundtable discussion with one another, and met Institute leadership.
Superintendent of the Charter Institute at Erskine Cameron Runyan, special guest Todd Atwater, and 2023-2024 Nathan Yon Institute Teacher of the Year Ms. Sharmaine Roaden presented Farmer with her award on Thursday. Ms. Farmer received a commemorative trophy and a gift from the family of Nathan Yon.
The Institute’s Teacher of the Year Award is named after Mr. Nathan Yon, a passionate educator who was set to open a charter school in Columbia, but tragically passed away in a car accident before he was able to do so. Learn more about Mr. Yon and his legacy in this video.
“Oftentimes, teachers are so busy celebrating the children that they serve, that they forget to take a step back and look at the lives that they’ve changed. For that reason, it is truly an honor to take this evening to celebrate our incredible teachers and give them an evening that spotlights their accomplishments,” said Institute Superintendent Cameron Runyan. “I know that Ms. Farmer’s dedication and love for her students will make her a wonderful representative of Institute teachers across the state and I look forward to working with her.”
American Leadership Academy Lexington is a K-12 public charter school in Lexington, South Carolina. ALA Lexington is built on a foundation of academic excellence and character development. Their mission is to support the family by providing the best educational experience to as many students as possible in a moral and wholesome environment. ALA Lexington is authorized by the Charter Institute at Erskine.
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The Charter Institute at Erskine is the fastest-growing school district in South Carolina. Serving 28 schools and approximately 26,000 students across the state, the Charter Institute at Erskine is committed to innovative, creative, high-quality methods of education. For more information about the Institute, please visit www.erskinecharters.org
