Emma Cohn Matthews, an English teacher at Wicomico High School, was named the 2025-2026 Wicomico Teacher of the Year April 10, 2025 in an announcement at the Teacher of the Year Celebration held at Venue 54 in Delmar, Md.
Mrs. Cohn Matthews, 29, is in her seventh year as an English teacher at Wicomico High. She attended Salisbury University, receiving her bachelor’s degree in English Secondary Education (2018) and master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction (2023). She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Literacy Studies at SU, and is working toward National Board Certification.
“I hope that my students know that they always have a safe place in my classroom, and I hope that I can provide them the skills to become successful and critical thinkers once they leave my classroom,” Mrs. Cohn Matthews said in her semifinalist video interview. “I take a lot of time to maybe not learn all the languages, but try to learn a little bit of the languages of some of the students that I teach so that way I can, at a bare minimum, try to find ways to communicate with them. I take a lot of time to learn what their interests are so I can talk to them about their interests. I do whatever I can to hopefully allow them to have them have a space where they can be themselves.”
Mrs. Cohn Matthews began teaching with Wicomico County Public Schools in August 2018, and has spent all seven years at Wicomico High. A dedicated leader at her school, she is in her fifth year as the PBIS chair and her second year as the English and World Language Department chair. Mrs. Cohn Matthews is an advisor of WiHi’s GSA, an after-school tutor, a mentor teacher and an adjunct professor at Salisbury University. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, National Education Association and the Maryland Literacy Association.
“Education is not just about delivering content, it’s about empowering students to see themselves as capable, valued, and prepared for the future,” Mrs. Cohn Matthews wrote in the written prompt packet that was part of the Teacher of the Year judging process. “Through my research and practice, I remain committed to ensuring that the curriculum serves as a bridge to student success, rather than a barrier. As I continue my research and teaching, I am committed to advocating for student-centered instruction and shaping learning environments that foster both academic and personal growth.”
Following the announcement of her name on Thursday evening, the Board of Education presented her with the traditional engraved golden apple award that the Board gives only to the Wicomico Teacher of the Year.
Celebration at the New Teacher of the Year’s School Friday Morning
Mrs. Cohn Matthews will be celebrated at Wicomico High the morning of Friday, April 11, when she will arrive in a classic 1949 Buick Super driven by Wicomico band teacher and auto enthusiast Buck Burton. Plans are being made to celebrate the new Teacher of the Year at her school. Her school and her school system are proud to have Mrs. Cohn Matthews represent all Wicomico teachers.
“We are thrilled that Emma Cohn Matthews of Wicomico High School now represents all of Wicomico’s more than 1,400 teachers as the 2025-2026 Wicomico Teacher of the Year,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Micah Stauffer said. “She is an excellent teacher who will represent her content area, school, Wicomico County Public Schools, and all WCPS students and teachers very well in the Maryland Teacher of the Year Recognition Program.”
The Maryland Teacher of the Year Recognition Program includes Maryland State Board of Education recognition in late May and the Maryland Teacher of the Year Gala in October, as well as a host of activities throughout the next year. Mrs. Cohn Matthews will also be recognized at the April 15 Wicomico County Council meeting, along with the three Teacher of the Year finalists and the 2025 Rising Star Award winner, an outstanding second-year teacher.
Wicomico is proud to have had three former Maryland Teachers of the Year working in the school system on behalf of students: Aaron Deal, April Todd and Bonnie Walston (now retired). Many of Wicomico’s Teachers of the Year have been finalists for Maryland Teacher of the Year.
Top Teachers Recognized at the Teacher of the Year Celebration
Over the past few months, the 26 teachers who are 2024-2025 semifinalists participated in a series of scored activities, starting with a public speaking challenge called the Fishbowl. They then completed a written prompt packet, and interviewed with a blue-ribbon panel of judge who are all past Wicomico Teachers of the Year. Scores from these three activities were compiled to determine the four teachers with the highest scores. These teachers were announced April 10 as the finalists.
2025 Finalists for Wicomico Teacher of the Year:
Fruitland Primary: Kellie Harvey, NBCT, Music
North Salisbury Elementary: Jessica Hanes, ESOL
Prince Street Elementary: Stephanie Mills, 4th Grade
Wicomico High: Emma Cohn Matthews, English
Emma Cohn Matthews (Wicomico High), the highest-scoring finalist, was named the 2025-2026 Wicomico Teacher of the Year.
2024-2025 Semifinalists for Teacher of the Year:
Beaver Run Elementary: Cierra Elzey, Prekindergarten
Bennett Middle: Candice “Candi” Bailey, 6th Grade English Language Arts (ELA)
Charles H. Chipman Elementary: Shelley Smith, ESOL
Delmar Elementary: Ashley Mallory, 2nd Grade
East Salisbury Elementary: Christina Osterwalder, 5th Grade
Fruitland Intermediate: Andrea Urban, 4th Grade
Glen Avenue Elementary: Jennifer Fitzgerald, Lead Math Intervention
James M. Bennett High: Jamie Eakin, Biology/AP Biology
Mardela Middle & High: Brooke Tapman Lohr, Physical Education & Health
Northwestern Elementary: Charlie Echard, 4th Grade
Parkside High/CTE: Mollie Schoenfelder, Health Education and Teacher Academy of Maryland
Pemberton Elementary: Erin Lukas, Special Education
Pinehurst Elementary: Robert Nevrly, 5th Grade
Pittsville Elementary & Middle: NBCT, Physical Education & Health
Salisbury Middle: Lisa Blagus, NBCT, Math
West Salisbury Elementary: Lauren Gilmore, NBCT, 1st Grade
Westside Intermediate: Kara Watson, 2nd Grade
Westside Primary: Mary Hammond, Prekindergarten
Wicomico Middle: Bettina Postles, NBCT, Ph.D., 7th Grade Science
Willards Elementary: Jamie Spears, Prekindergarten
Special Programs, English Language Support Center: Andrew Jung, Social Studies
Special Programs, Virtual Learning: Barbara Farrell, 7th Grade Math
Meet these 26 amazing educators in a Teacher of the Year Semifinalists video that highlights each one. The program aired on PAC 14 and is available to view at anytime on the YouTube Channel for Wicomico Schools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48cJFJwgqfk
Wicomico County Public Schools and the Wicomico County Board of Education thank 2024-2025 Wicomico Teacher of the Year Debbie Reynolds (Wicomico Middle) for serving as such an excellent representative of all educators in Wicomico Schools. Ms. Reynolds delivered the keynote address at the Teacher of the Year Celebration.
2025 Rising Star Award
In connection with the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Recognition Program, Bill and Teresa McCain and the McCain Foundation recognized Kelly Hendra, who teaches 2nd Grade math, science and social studies at Prince Street Elementary School, as the winner of the 2025 Rising Star Award for outstanding second-year teachers. As the “Rookie of the Year” among teachers new to the profession, Ms. Hendra received a personalized baseball bat and a check for $1,000 from the McCain Foundation.
Ms. Hendra joined Wicomico County Public Schools in August 2023 as a teacher at Prince Street Elementary. She earned her bachelor’s degree from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.
“I believe I’m making a difference in my classroom and in this school by helping my students find their voice and passion, and what truly drives them to learn,” Ms. Hendra said in her Rising Star video. “I focus on bringing out their creativity through the arts, role playing and of course mathematics. To keep students engaged I incorporate room transformations that bring our curriculum to life. For example, I turned my classroom into a jungle for our habitats lesson, creating an immersive learning experience.”
In addition to the winner, the finalists for the Rising Star Award were Rich Kaiser (Criminal Justice, Parkside High/CTE) and William Mills (Physical Education, Wicomico Middle).
2025 Friend of Education Award
Also announced on Wednesday evening was the 2025 recipient of the Friend of Education Award, the Salisbury Zoo. The zoo has been an outstanding education partner for students, families, schools and the community throughout its more than 70-year history. Among the Salisbury Zoo’s many educational initiatives are:
- Family Nights at the zoo for schools
- Field trips
- A watershed experience for all Kindergarten students
- Life skills employment for students in the Wicomico Works program
- Outreach events at the zoo and in the community
- A variety of education programs for children from birth through college who are learning in public, private, home school, day care, summer camp and college settings
Sponsors and Supporters of the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Recognition Program
Businesses, organizations and individuals in our community have generously supported the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Celebration, which is the highlight of the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Recognition Program. Wicomico County Public Schools and the Wicomico County Board of Education gratefully acknowledge these sponsors:
- Platinum Sponsors:
Wicomico County Education Foundation
McCain Foundation
Dr. Carolyn Elmore
Pro Coat LLC
Wicomico County Education Association
- Gold Sponsors:
Association of Public School Administrators & Supervisors
Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore
First Financial Federal Credit Union
Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore
Salisbury University
- Silver Sponsor:
M&T Bank
- Bronze Sponsors:
Richard A. Henson Foundation
Wicomico Retired School Personnel Association
Our thanks to these Teacher of the Year donors and supporters:
WCPS Career & Technical Education: Automotive Technology, Carpentry, Culinary Arts, High Performance Manufacturing, Horticulture, Interactive Media, Masonry, Welding
WCPS Fine & Performing Arts
ACME Markets Foundation
Atlantic Pewter & Trophies
Brew River Seafood House
Buck Burton
Jen Seay Campbell
Chick-fil-A
DataNetworks
Delmarva Shorebirds
Delmarvanow.com (The Daily Times)
DiCarlo Digital Copy Center
Erick Sahler Serigraphs
Etch-Art Awards
Evolution Craft Brewing Co.
Hertrich Family of Automobile Dealerships
How Sweet It Is
Jersey Mike’s
Susan S. Jones
Kind SBY
Kitty’s Flowers
Kuhn’s Jewelers
M&T Bank
Market Street Inn
Mojo’s
Stephanie McCoy
PAC 14
Pipino Audio Visual
Playa Bowls
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
Salisbury Independent/Independent Newspapers
Smoking Monster
Sonya’s Floral Boutique
Specific Gravity
The Ugly Pie
Dustin Thomas
Vernon Powell Shoes
Wendy’s
Williams Market
Wor-Wic Community College
