Lexington-Richland School District Five 2026-2027 Teacher of The Year
Spring Hill High School English teacher Anna Maria Hinson has been named the 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year for Lexington-Richland School District Five. Hinson finished her sixth year at the school last May and currently teaches English I College Prep, English I Honors, and English 2 Honors for grades 9 and 10.
Hinson’s resume reflects a strong conviction that long-term learning matters for both teachers and students. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Teaching for Secondary English. She is Gifted and Talented Certified and has earned her National Board Certification—an advanced teaching credential, considered a benchmark of excellence in teaching.
Hinson’s distinction as Teacher of the Year is not just about her credentials. Her passion for teaching and her dedication to helping students succeed stand out as her true mission. Hinson has always felt called to be a teacher. As a child, she read to her stuffed animals, a rapt audience. Her younger brother was also drafted, although he sometimes remembers it as “not getting a word in edgewise.” Her dream to teach a certain grade someday matched whichever grade she was in, and she loved them all.
Growing up in District Five, Hinson was inspired by her teachers, especially her second-grade teacher, Mrs. Trevett, who encouraged her love of reading, writing, and English. Their relationship continues today. Recognizing Hinson’s passion and potential for teaching, Mrs. Trevett invited a young Hinson to help instruct her students at her writing workshop. Hinson has also served as a coaching teacher for student interns.
For Hinson, the greatest rewards of teaching come from seeing her students grow and find their voices. Watching students that she first met as freshmen, graduate and transition to the “real world” is particularly meaningful. She said, “There is no other job in the world that meets that passion. I love the questions, the self-discovery, and the fun. Knowing that I can make a lasting impact before the students go out into the world is very rewarding.”
She acknowledges that teaching is both challenging and worthwhile because each day and every student is different. Adapting your teaching style to meet students’ needs requires teachers to be lifelong learners. “Teaching asks a great deal of you. We invest our hearts in our students, and while that can be exhausting, it’s what makes this profession so rewarding,” she said. She credits her coworkers and the sense of shared purpose among teachers for helping one another through challenging times.
Hinson shared advice for future teachers: “Only you can be the teacher that you were meant to be. There will always be a student who needs who you are to be their teacher. Celebrate the small successes and focus on the good moments, especially in your early years.”
Outside the classroom, Hinson enjoys traveling with her husband, visiting coffee shops and reading, doing anything outdoors, and playing tennis, her favorite sport.
As if this year has not been momentous enough, the Hinsons are expecting a baby boy in December.
“It has been a whirlwind and an honor that is still sinking in. It was absolutely unexpected, and I am still laughing at how my students told me they have never seen me so red in the face and at a loss for words.” Anna Maria Hinson