A look inside the classrooms of Richmond County's Teacher of the Year and Columbia County's Teacher of the Year

Monday, October 21st, 2019

GEORGIA ((WRDW/WAGT)) -- Richmond and Columbia County chose their Teacher's of the Year recently. We got a look inside their classrooms.

Mrs. Shatara Sims is a 5th-grade math teacher at Dorothy Hains Elementary School and Richmond County's Teacher of the Year.

She said, "It's just an honor to be able to represent Richmond County and showcase the phenomenal talent that a Richmond County teacher poses on a daily basis."

She has a passion for math and an even bigger passion for her students. She said they're her favorite part of the job.

"I get to see them every day, I get to hug them knowing that they know that I'm here for them and that I love them, truly love them not just because they're my students, because they're individuals and that they're human," she said.

She goes above and beyond to make sure these kids know she's there for them.

She said, "We go to football games, we go to basketball games, we go get our nails done pedicure, manicure, the gentlemen normally get haircuts and we have lunch together."

A county over, Mr. David Phillips, a 7th-grade science teacher at Greenbrier Middle School, is Columbia County's Teacher of the Year.

He said, "To be the representative for this county, I believe there's 1800 teachers in the county, it's pretty humbling."

He too has a passion that goes beyond the classroom. He took students to Hong Kong back in July to compete in a worldwide stem competition.

He said, "It was all extracurricular, we didn't find out until late May so we spent the whole month of June planning and building and getting ready."

He loves challenging his students.

Mr. Phillips said, "Just seeing them think and try and solve a complex problem on their own, I really enjoy that."

If there's one thing both teachers have in common, it's how much their students enjoy their classes and appreciate their kindness.

Kathleen McCollum is one of Mr. Phillips students, she said, "It's very challenging, but it's always so fun and we never get bored in here, we're always just laughing and having fun."

Aviyah Moss is one of Mrs. Sims students, she said, "She'll just always have a great time with us and she'll just make us feel better any day."

Both teachers now move onto the state competition to be considered for the title of Georgia Teacher of the Year.