Hilham Elementary Teacher Honored by Rack Room Shoes

A teacher at Hilham Elementary School in Overton County was recognized as Teacher of the Year by Rack Room Shoes.

Edith Williams teaches 7th and 8th-grade math at the school. She was honored when she noticed parents nominating her on social media for the award.

“At first I didn’t know I had been nominated and I had no way of knowing it,” Williams said. “But then I was looking on Facebook and it came up that people were saying ‘we’ve got to go vote for Edith Williams’. At first I thought this is just an absolutely incredible honor that I had a parent that thinks this highly of me.”

In return, Hilham Elementary will receive a $10,000 grant from Rack Room to go towards a new computer lab and technology for the students. Williams said the grant is much-needed for the school.

“I got really excited when I found out the school would get $10,000, and then when I found out I had finished [among] the top-five teachers, I was just so overcome,” Williams said. “It was impossible to come up with words. I felt humbled [and] I felt gratified.”

Williams said receiving the grant funding from Rack Room is a win not only for her, but for the entire school.

“This gives me an opportunity to be able to give something back to my school,” Williams said. “All the people who work here, my principal, the staff, the other teachers, everybody just works so hard. I just feel like I’m kind of the face on the money, but all them are equally deserving and for it to be coming into our school, it’s just an amazing thing.”

Williams said her students were equally excited and can’t wait to celebrate with her on Friday during a special school event in honor of her recognition.

“They all kind of knew about it because a lot of them are on Facebook and their parents were telling them about it,” Williams said. “They’re really excited. They’re making banners and everything to welcome Rack Room to our school. They’ve always been very supportive, very loving, very caring. So they’re really excited about it too.”

Williams said the recognition means a lot to her, especially after facing several personal challenges the year before. Williams was diagnosed with stage-four cancer following a bout with breast cancer previously. However, Williams said she’s not going to let her diagnosis stop her from teaching.

“I have decided to keep teaching as long as I can teach and be as productive as I can be,” Williams said. “That’s a hard thing to go through. But to have this amazing thing, this outpouring of love and support from my school, parents, former students… it meant everything to me. It made everything I had ever done in my life, it validated that.”

Williams said although there is no cure for her condition, she still remains optimistic and is enjoying what she has now.

Williams is currently in her 36th year of teaching. Hilham Elementary is set to recognize Williams for her efforts at the school and for becoming Teacher of the Year. In addition, Rack Room Shoes will honor Williams by giving her a year supplies of free shoes.