Greenville County Schools has named Mary Grace Carlson the 2026-27 Teacher of the Year.
Carlson is a government and economics teacher at Carolina High School and Academy in Greenville. She was recognized during the school district’s celebration breakfast held Aug. 6.
The runners-up for the 2026-27 Teacher of the Year are:
- First runner-up: Graham Garcia, an eighth-grade math teacher at Lakeview Middle School
- Second runner-up: Bill Twaler, a culinary arts instructor at Enoree Career Center
- Third runner-up: Jessica Yale, a special education teacher at Travelers Rest High School
The selection process for the school district’s highest teaching honor began in the fall of 2025 when each school selected its Teacher of the Year. The selected teachers were invited to complete a comprehensive application for GCS’s Teacher of the Year.
Screening committees and a judges selection committee reviewed the applications to narrow down the top 10 finalists for the award, which were announced in March. The 2026-27 Teacher of the Year and three finalists were chosen following in-person interviews and classroom observations.
The 2026-27 First Class Teachers and Emerging Teachers of the Year recipients were also announced during the celebration event on Thursday.
The First Class Teacher Award recognizes two educators for their exemplary performance during their first year of teaching. Public Education Partners and Auro Hotels sponsor the award. The 2026-27 First Class Teacher Award recipients are:
- Elementary level: Makaela Letayf, third-grade teacher at Alexander Elementary School
- Secondary level: Caleb Brown, U.S. history and human geography teacher at Riverside High School
Greenville Federal Credit Union sponsors the Emerging Teachers of the Year award. The award recognizes two second- or third-year teachers for their outstanding performance as educators. The 2026-27 Emerging Teachers of the Year are:
- Elementary level: Lia Winters, special education teacher at Berea Elementary School
- Secondary level: Lori Foley, physical education teacher at Carolina High School and Academy
