Harbison West Elementary School selected Caroline Waldrop Blevins as their 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year.
Blevins, who is in her third year of teaching, received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an add-on in Early Childhood Education from Anderson University.
Upon learning of her Teacher of the Year honors, Blevins, who teaches second grade at Harbison West Elementary School, said, “I couldn’t have been happier or more thrilled… It’s been a blessing. But I am also the type of person where success is my motivation, so as long as I know that I am moving in the right direction and being successful—that pushes me even more.”
While at Anderson University, Blevins was a Teaching Fellow, was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma honor society, was selected as a student representative for the Teacher Education Committee, served on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and received the Trojan Athletics Award. She was a Presidential Ambassador, a cheerleader and was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“I am truly grateful for all that AU and the College of Education has done for me. A big ‘thank you’ to the staff members and professors for leading me to this accomplishment. I would not be the teacher I am today, without my experience at AU,” she said. “I truly enjoyed my time at Anderson University. I have looked back so many times and just cherished the memories that I had while I was there during college.”
As early as second grade, Blevins felt she wanted to go into teaching. She volunteered in classrooms throughout high school and was also a teacher cadet.
“I truly think my spiritual gift in life is the love and passion I have for children, and of course I want to use that gift. I applied for the College of Education at AU and I received Teaching Fellows… In that moment, I truly knew that teaching is where the Lord wanted me,” she said. “It’s not always easy. There’s pros and cons just like any other profession, but I will say the children bring me joy.”
Blevins has taught second and fourth grades at Harbison West Elementary, which is located in Lexington/Richland School District Five in the Columbia area. Next year, she will teach in the school’s Gifted and Talented program.
Blevins’ husband Anderson, whom she met during college, is also an Anderson University graduate and is employed at Lexington Medical Center.