2023 NCCSS Award Winners

2023 Elementary School Teacher of the Year

Nicole Clarke is a teacher at the Clarke Elementary School in Henderson, NC. Before joining Clarke Elementary School, she taught at the Craighead Primary School in Jamaica. She has 15yrs of teaching experience. Nicole completed her Master’s in Teaching and Learning at St Mary University Minnesota, her Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education, and her Diploma in Education at the Catholic College of Mandeville. Nicole also has certificates in Early Childhood Education, Levels 1 and 2. Teaching has always been an area of interest for Nicole. Therefore, it was not unusual that she kept her focus from her early studies at the Freeman’s Hall Infant and Primary School, Craighead All Age, and Albert Town High School.

2023 Middle School Teacher of the Year

Mr. Tre Smith is an 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher at Littlefield Middle School out of Lumberton, NC. He has been married 18 years to his high school sweetheart, April and has two children, a Sophomore in High School, Mitchell and a 6th Grader, Michelle. Smith, his wife and their two children are all products of the Public Schools of Robeson County. Smith graduated with his undergraduate degree in 2004 and his Masters of Arts in Teaching (Middle Grades 6 - 9 Social Studies) degree in 2019 from UNC-Pembroke. The sole basis for Smith running for Board of Directors of NCCSS is because of the passion he has for his students and as an educator, the want and desire to be an advocate for his fellow teachers in NC.

2023 High School Teacher of the Year

Leah attended North Carolina State University as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow, where she completed a B.A. in History and Social Studies Education. She began her career teaching at an innovative early college program in eastern North Carolina. She attended graduate school at American University, where she earned an M.A. in History and concentrated her research and practicum experiences in the field of Public History (how the public approaches, engages with, and learns about the past). After a few years working in museum education, designing educational programs for all ages, Leah returned to the classroom in 2015. She currently teaches at a public magnet school for the arts in Durham, NC. She’s also a member of the National Constitution Center’s Teacher Advisory Council. She is currently in her 13th year as a high school educator, and works diligently to facilitate a learning environment where students own their learning and leave prepared to engage as members of society.

2023 Rho Kappa Scholarship Winner

Mira Mullis is an Independence Senior High School student in Charlotte, North Carolina.