WEST COLUMBIA, SC – The Charter Institute at Erskine announced Aimee Connell, a South Carolina Virtual Charter School (SCVCS) high school teacher, as the 2025-2026 Nathan Yon Institute Virtual Teacher of the Year. This award was presented in front of more than 500 attendees at the Institute’s annual Banquet, which was started as a Teacher Retention Initiative. In addition to celebrating teachers, this evening also recognizes the students, leaders, and communities that make Institute schools excellent.
Connell is a high school Career and Technical (CTE) Teacher and a resident of Summerville. She has more than 30 years of experience in the South Carolina public school system, including ten years at SCVCS, and 15 years at Summerville High School. In addition to serving as a CTE Teacher, Connell is the CTE Department Lead at SCVCS.
Superintendent of the Charter Institute at Erskine Cameron Runyan, Institute Board Chair and Erskine College President Dr. Steven Adamson, Institute Board Treasurer Helen Taylor, and 2024-2025 Nathan Yon Institute Teacher of the Year M.E. Farmer presented Connell with her award on Thursday’s Banquet. Connell received a commemorative trophy and a gift from the family of Nathan Yon.
Additionally, both Teachers of the Year will join the Institute Leaders Cohort and have the opportunity to participate in both a national trip and an international trip to visit schools and bring back new ideas for their schools.
For the first time ever, the Institute selected two Teacher of the Year honorees. Connell, a virtual teacher, will co-represent the Institute with Ashley Cooper, a brick-and-mortar teacher from Libertas Academy – Boiling Springs. This change was made to accurately represent the Institute’s growing portfolio, while also celebrating excellence in both types of schools.
“Teaching CTE builds confidence, opens doors, and changes lives, and I’m incredibly honored to see that work recognized and celebrated,” said Connell. “This honor isn’t just about me; it’s a reflection of the incredible students I’ve had the privilege to teach and the colleagues that continue to inspire me every day. I’m proud to represent a school of choice that champions innovation, flexibility, and the belief that every child deserves a path to educational success. Together, we’re proving the true power and potential of charter schools and virtual education across South Carolina.”
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.
“Ms. Connell is a fantastic educator who is truly changing the future for many of her students,” said Anita Latham, SCVCS Head of School. “In sharing her passion for CTE, she is opening doors for students that they did not know existed prior to her class. Her impact goes beyond the classroom and the SCVCS family is so thankful to call her one of our own!”
Connell and Cooper were chosen as finalists along with three other educators – Dequilla Chantee Cruell (Brashier Middle College Charter High School), Mitzi Kellum Faust (Calhoun Falls Charter School), and Jeannie Bailey (South Carolina Connections Academy). Finalists attended “Interview Day” at the Institute’s office in Columbia where they participated in a face-to-face interview and met Institute leadership.
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. Prior to naming the Teachers of the Year, Superintendent Runyan and Institute Chief Operating Officer Vamshi Rudrapati recognized the Yon Family with a gift as the Banquet happened to fall on the twelfth anniversary of his passing this year. Learn more about Mr. Yon and his legacy in this video.
“It was especially important for the Institute to celebrate an educator who gives so much to the virtual charter school community,” said Superintendent Cameron Runyan. “Ms. Connell is dedicated to the growth and development of her students and her passion to advocate for children shines through in everything she does.”
South Carolina Virtual Charter School is a tuition-free, virtual public school that serves grades K-12 in every zip code in South Carolina. SCVCS empowers students to learn anywhere by providing a high-quality, consistent choice for education in the comfort of their own homes. The school’s mission is to improve student educational achievement through the provision of an individualized, rigorous, standards-based virtual education to students in the state of SC. SCVCS is authorized by the Charter Institute at Erskine. For more information, visit www.scvcs.org.
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The Charter Institute at Erskine is the fastest-growing school district in South Carolina. Serving 26 schools and approximately 30,000 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.
