Rutherford County Schools Teacher of Year named

Georgia Holley from East Rutherford High School is the new 2025-2026 Rutherford County Schools (RCS) Teacher of the Year.

"I am so very proud to represent this incredible school and school district" Holley said. "I find the people in RCS to be incredibly child-centered, and devoted to helping the young people of our district. I am honored to be recognized by professionals whom I respect and admire."

Becoming a teacher was a childhood dream, she said.

Holley responded to the following questions:

Have you always wanted to teach?

I have wanted to teach for as long as I can remember. I fell in love with history when I was in the third grade. During high school, I became very interested in politics and world affairs as well.

What is the best day in the life of a teacher? The most difficult day?

The best day teaching is when you know you have connected with a student. It could be a content connection- maybe the student finally understands a skill or concept they have been struggling with. But it can also be an emotional connection. Maybe a student who has been disengaged all semester, finally smiles and volunteers to speak in class. Or maybe you ask a student about a hobby or sport, and they really begin to engage. I hope that all of my students know I care about them. When I see evidence of that, it's definitely a great day.

The worst day of teaching is when a lesson plan fails to go as planned. Sometimes a lesson misses the mark. Maybe it's boring, or too difficult, or too easy. This can be demoralizing. Of course, that's where you just dust off your pants and replan to ensure that the lesson goes better the next time.

What would you tell anyone about to go into the teaching field?

I would tell them that teaching is the best job out there. Although it is hard, it is also incredibly rewarding. Laughing with students and colleagues, being an ambassador for our school with parents and the community, and helping develop productive citizens for the future fill my work and my life with meaning. My husband, Glenn, is also an educator, working most of his career with exceptional children. Our son has just finished his student teaching and will hopefully have his own classroom next year. I am so excited that Cap will get to experience this profession that has meant so much to my husband and me.

What do you teach? How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching high school social studies for 35 years.

Holley was born and raised in Holly Hill, SC and attended the University of South Carolina. She taught in Horry County Schools along the coast of S.C. for 31 years, and has taught at East Rutherford High School for the last four years.

"My husband and I have been married for 38 years, and are the proud parents of one son, Cap. We love to hike, and are avid Gamecock fans,"she said.

Over the years, Holley said she has taught in almost every type of classroom setting there is. While in Rutherford County, she has taught Advanced Placement, accelerated, on grade-level, and at-risk students, and has worked with special education teachers in collaborative models. During my last 15 years in Horry County, she worked in a magnet program for accelerated students located at Coastal Carolina University. While there, she taught AP US History, AP Human Geography, AP US Government, and AP Comparative Politics.

"I firmly believe that, while strategies may vary from one subject to another, sound teaching practices revolve around compassion, planning, pedagogy, and content-knowledge. As a result, I have enjoyed teaching students at every ability level in almost every social studies course that exists."

Holley was named the Horry County Schools' Teacher of the Year in 2008.

"I have also been very active in other facets of our profession."

As a consultant for the College Board, Holley graded Advanced Placement exams for six years and she has written questions for the AP Comparative Government test. She has also worked in various capacities for the S.C. Bar Association's Law Related Education Division. For three years, Holley served as lead teacher for the James Madison Legacy Project. This initiative was funded through a federal grant to the Center for Civic Education, and provided training for teachers of at-risk students throughout North and South Carolina. Several years ago, the S.C. Bar awarded Holley their Legacy Award for years of service to law-related education. For the last five years, Holley has been employed by the company, Beable, as a script writer for their educational video series.