Photo courtesy of Hoover City Sc hools
Bluff Park Elementary School first grade teacher Katie Collins, center, was named Alabama's 2025-26 Teacher of the Year at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival on Wedneseday, May 7, 2025.
Bluff Park Elementary School first grade teacher Katie Collins on Wednesday night was named Alabama’s 2025-26 Teacher of the Year.
The announcement came at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival during a ceremony honoring the top 16 nominees for the award from across the state.
Aubrey Bennett of Carver High School in Birmingham was named the state's Alternate Teacher of the Year. Others who made the top four finalists were Katherine Thomas of Edgewood Elementary School in Homewood and Amanda Gudmundsson of Athens High School.
Collins, who is in her eighth year of teaching at Bluff Park and 20th year of teaching overall, began her career at Thompson High School in 2005, teaching French, ACT preparation and computer science.
But high school was not really her calling. After two years, she moved to Hoover City Schools, where she has taught first grade and English as a Second Language at Gwin and Bluff Park elementary schools and French and English as a Second Language at Bumpus and Simmons middle schools. She also previously taught a community family literacy program for adults from other countries while at Gwin. She found her sweet spot at the elementary level.
Collins is known for her project-based learning units, including a farmers market that has first-grade students grow plants, market them and sell them to the community. The students measure the plants and record observations, do persuasive writing and video recordings to market the plants, and count and track the money as it is received.
Last year, the students raised $4,000, with the proceeds going to other projects at the school, Collins said.
Collins has secured more than $70,000 worth of grants over the years, including funding for Bluff Park Elementary’s greenhouse, which further enhances students’ learning experiences.
Collins also is certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is a certified Google Classroom Educator and Distinguished Modern Classroom Educator. She also holds certifications for English as a Second Language and Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling.
