Eugenia Floyd, a fourth-grade teacher at Mary Scroggs Elementary School (MSES) has been named one of nine North Carolina Regional Teachers of the Year.

Regional Teachers of the Year are all outstanding professionals, chosen for their dedication, implementation of best practices and their ability to motivate students to achieve their highest potential. In accordance with national guidelines, North Carolina chooses a candidate who is “dedicated and highly skilled, a candidate proven capable of inspiring students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn.”

The regional winners are selected by a State Teacher of the Year team, which consists of the North Carolina Teacher of the Year, along with previous regional winners for the principal and teacher of the year awards. Floyd represents the North Central Region, which is comprised of 16 school districts including Wake, Durham, Chatham and Johnston.

Eugenia Floyd of Mary Scroggs Elementary School was named the CHCCS Teacher of the Year for 2019-20. (Photo via Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.)

Floyd initially received the CHCCS Teacher of the Year award at a virtual annual recognition reception on June 12. Her principal, Crystal Epps, was named CHCCS Principal of the Year, a double honor for MSES in 2020.

“Ms. Floyd is a shining star in our school district,” said Senior Executive Director of Human Resources Erika Newkirk. “She grew up here, attended our schools, began working with us as a teacher assistant, and now is our teacher of the year. We are honored to have her on our team.”

After earning her B.A. in history from UNC-Greensboro, Floyd began working as a teacher assistant at Morris Grove Elementary School. She earned her K-6 Licensure at North Carolina Central University in 2013 and began teaching fourth grade at MSES that year.

At MSES, Floyd serves as a mentor teacher. As she wrote in her Teacher of the Year portfolio, “We, as educators face adversities daily,” Floyd said. “We put on our game faces and do the job that we are called to do. We put all of the adversities to the side, and we show up for our students.”

The NC Department of Public Instruction has partnered with Burroughs Wellcome Fund since 2013 to honor teachers in the state. The original Teacher of the Year program began in 1970.

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