Step 01
School-Level Nomination
Teachers at each of the 34 participating Wilson County schools nominate one of their peers as that school’s Teacher of the Year. Selection is driven by faculty, not administrators.
Teacher of the Year
Co-sponsored by Wilson County Motors & CedarStone Bank · Since 1998
Wilson County
Teacher of the Year
Twenty-eight consecutive years of honoring the educators who shape Wilson County. A peer-nominated, faculty-reviewed program celebrating the most valuable profession in the community.
2025–2026 Honoree
Lindsay Morgan, Lebanon High School
Lindsay Morgan, a culinary arts and work-based learning teacher at Lebanon High School, was named the 2025–2026 Wilson County Teacher of the Year at the 28th annual awards banquet held on April 10 at Cumberland University’s Baird Chapel.
A 22-year veteran of the classroom, Morgan was selected from a field of 34 school-level nominees by an anonymous panel of Cumberland University faculty. She is the second Lebanon High School teacher to win the county award in the past five years, following carpentry teacher Mark Wooten in 2022.
Morgan is currently pursuing a Master’s in Leadership and indicated the $3,000 winner’s check will go toward completing that program. Lebanon High School principal Dr. Scott Walters praised her classroom impact, noting the number of students she has taught over her tenure at LHS.
Reporting: Angie Mayes, Main Street Media · The Wilson Post · Photos by Claudine Ashworth, Custom Color Photo
April 10, 2026 · Baird Chapel
Bob McDonald (CedarStone Bank), Lindsay Morgan, W.P. Bone (Wilson County Motors)
28
Consecutive Years
34
Schools in 2025–26
$3,000
Winner’s Check
$1,000
To Winner’s School
Origin Story
A 1996 Idea. A 1998 Banquet. 28 Years Running.
The program was conceived around 1996 by W.P. Bone III, then-owner of Wilson County Motors, and Bob McDonald, President and CEO of CedarStone Bank. Their shared premise: teaching is the most valuable profession in any community, and the people who do it well deserve public, substantive recognition.
After two years of planning, the inaugural award was presented for the 1998–1999 school year to Alexa Moscardelli. What began as a single county-wide honor has grown to recognize nominees from more than 30 public and private schools across Wilson County Schools, the Lebanon Special School District, and area private academies.
The prize pool has scaled with the program. Earlier honorees received a $1,500 personal check and a $500 school donation; the current award is $3,000 to the teacher and $1,000 to the school. The winner’s name is inscribed on honor plaques at the chamber of commerce and school board offices in Mt. Juliet, Watertown, and Lebanon/Wilson County.
Selection Process
Peer-Nominated. Faculty-Reviewed.
A rigorous, anonymous selection process rooted in the teaching profession itself.
Step 02
Application Packet
Each nominee submits a self-evaluation responding to five questions and includes comments from their principal, parents of students they’ve taught, and when possible, from the students themselves.
Step 03
Cumberland Faculty Review
An anonymous panel of faculty from Cumberland University’s Education Department reviews all packets and selects the county-wide winner. The announcement is made live at the April banquet at Baird Chapel.
2025–2026 Class
All 28 Nominees
Sort by any column or filter by name, school, or subject area. Click a row to read that teacher’s philosophy and contribution statement from their application packet.
28 of 28
| Teacher | School | Subject | Years |
|---|
The Roll of Honor
Wilson County Teachers of the Year, 1998–Present
Twenty-seven named honorees. Two years paused for the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-eight banquets and counting.
From the Banquet
2026 Photo Gallery
Scenes from the 28th annual Wilson County Teacher of the Year banquet, Cumberland University’s Baird Chapel, April 10, 2026.
Lindsay Morgan accepts the 2025–2026 award from Bob McDonald (left) and W.P. Bone (right).
All nominees on stage with W.P. Bone III.
Bob and Susan McDonald welcome nominees at the door.
W.P. Bone, Susan Lord, Debbie Whited, and Bob McDonald.
Bob McDonald, Aaron Bellar, Mitchel Bone, Cristy Stumb, and Paul Stumb.
Dr. Paul Stumb at the Cumberland University podium, Baird Chapel.
The 28th annual banquet in Baird Chapel — 34 nominees, sponsors, and past winners.
Additional banquet photos forthcoming. Credit: Claudine Ashworth / Custom Color Photo for The Wilson Post.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Program.
Who is the 2025–2026 Wilson County Teacher of the Year?
Lindsay Morgan, a culinary arts and work-based learning teacher at Lebanon High School, was named the 2025–2026 Wilson County Teacher of the Year on April 10, 2026, at the 28th annual awards banquet held at Cumberland University’s Baird Chapel.
Who sponsors the Wilson County Teacher of the Year program?
The program is co-sponsored by Wilson County Motors (Wilson County Chevrolet Buick GMC Hyundai) and CedarStone Bank. The two businesses have continuously co-sponsored the award for 28 consecutive years, beginning with the 1998–1999 school year.
Who started the Wilson County Teacher of the Year program?
The program was conceived around 1996 by W.P. Bone III, owner of Wilson County Motors, and Bob McDonald, President and CEO of CedarStone Bank. The inaugural award was presented for the 1998–1999 school year to Alexa Moscardelli.
How is the Wilson County Teacher of the Year selected?
Each participating school in Wilson County selects its own Teacher of the Year by peer nomination. School-level winners complete application packets that include philosophy statements, contributions, and comments from principals, parents, and students. An anonymous panel of faculty from Cumberland University’s Education Department reviews the packets and selects the county-wide winner.
What does the Wilson County Teacher of the Year receive?
The overall county winner receives a personal check for $3,000 and their school receives a $1,000 check. All 34 school-level nominees receive a commemorative plaque. The winner’s name is inscribed on honor plaques displayed at the chamber of commerce and school board offices in Mt. Juliet, Watertown, and Lebanon/Wilson County.
How many schools participate in the program?
In the 2025–2026 school year, 34 public and private schools across Wilson County participated in the program, including schools from Wilson County Schools and the Lebanon Special School District.
Where is the Teacher of the Year banquet held?
The banquet is traditionally held at Baird Chapel on the campus of Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee. The keynote address is typically delivered by the President of Cumberland University.
Updated April 2026