LIVINGSTON — The University of West Alabama’s Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education recently honored five regional educators for their achievement at an awards ceremony at the Bell Conference Center, including Tiffany Davis, principal of John Essex High School.

Tiffany Davis, Brett Morris Evans, Amanda Meadows, Dr. Poppy Moon and Marlee Neel received Tutwiler Educator of the Year awards in their fields. The awards, named for the institution’s first president, Julia S. Tutwiler, honor excellence in education by identifying outstanding educators in the areas of early childhood/elementary education, secondary education fields, counseling, library media and instructional leadership.

“The Tutwiler Educator of the Year awards highlight the use of best practices and reward teachers who inspire students to achieve a high level of excellence,” Dr. Kathryn Chandler, dean of the college, said. “The significant contribution to society made by these distinguished teachers is nothing short of life changing and deserves to be recognized.”

Davis received the Tutwiler Award for Instructional Leadership. The principal of John Essex High School, Davis has served the field of education for 12 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s and education specialist degree in instructional leadership, all from UWA.

Meadows received the Tutwiler Award for Elementary Education. For the past eight years, Meadows has taught at Westside Elementary in Demopolis. She holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from UWA.

Evans received the Tutwiler Award for Secondary Education. She has 34 years of experience in the teaching field and currently teaches in Choctaw County at Patrician Academy in Butler. Evans holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Queens College in Charlotte, NC.

Moon received the Tutwiler Award for Counseling. She is a counselor at Myrtlewood Elementary in Fosters. Moon holds a master’s degree in counseling from Texas A & M and a doctorate from the University of Alabama. She has been in the field of education for nearly 10years and has seven years of experience as a school counselor.

Neel received the Tutwiler Award for Library Media. A library media specialist at Hueytown High School, Neel has 12 years of experience in the field of library media. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Birmingham Southern, master’s degree in library science from the University of Southern Mississippi, and an education specialist degree from UWA.

Each recipient received a $500 cash stipend and $250 for the purchase of classroom supplies and professional development.

For more information on the Tutwiler Educator of the Year awards, please contact the Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education at 205-652-3865.