NNPS honors 2025-2026 Teachers of the Year
Posted: May 14, 2025
Newport News Public Schools officially awarded all 42 of its 2025-2026 Teachers of the Year and three division-wide honorees were announced on May 13 at the Marriott at City Center.
Jenkins Elementary School reading specialist Michelle Young was chosen Elementary School Teacher of the Year and Division-wide Teacher of the Year, with Hines Middle School eighth grade science teacher Sarah Watson recognized as Middle School Teacher of the Year and Menchville High School government and law teacher Kylee Davis awarded High School Teacher of the Year.
"You are the champions of your classrooms, the culture-builders of your schools, and the role models our students will carry with them long after they leave your care," said NNPS Superintendent Dr. Michele Mitchell. "You represent innovation, compassion, and resilience - and in times when the work of educators has never been more demanding, you continue to show up with excellence and heart.
"Each of you was chosen by your peers - not just because you know your content, but because you know your students. You make your schools better places to learn, work and grow. You embody what it means to educate with purpose."
Kiln Creek Elementary School teacher Jessica Reynolds, 2024-2025 NNPS Teacher of the Year, was the keynote speaker. She used the analogy of a food web to describe all of the inter-connected parts working together to make up an effective school system.
"No single piece survives alone," Reynolds said. "If one part goes out of balance, the whole thing feels it. But when we work together - students, teachers, support staff, leadership, and policymakers - magic happens. Growth happens. Resilience grows. Kids thrive."
Young has been a teacher in NNPS for 15 years, including the past two years at Jenkins. Serving at Carver Elementary School from 2010 to 2023, she taught kindergarten and then first and second grades before becoming a K-5 reading specialist in 2019.
Young was Carver's Teacher of the Year in 2016.
"I just want to say thank you to Newport News and to everybody here for all of the opportunities that I've been given," Young said.
Download the list of the 2025-2026 NNPS Teachers of the Year.
View the 2025-2026 NNPS Teachers of the Year Photo Album.
