Merrie Palmer, who teaches performing arts, stagecraft and speech courses was named by her peers as the 2019-2020 Ada High School Teacher of the Year.

“There is no one Teacher of the Year, but rather a team of individuals working together to help our students succeed. I’m honored to represent my team of performing arts professionals,” Palmer said. “Micah Gordon and Martin Hill make my job possible. Everything we do is a collaborative effort, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

Palmer has directed numerous Ada High and Ada Junior High productions in her time as a Cougar, which began with a semester of student teaching in the same department she currently heads. Last year Palmer began a speech and debate team, producing a 5A state champion their first competition season. This year has already produced multiple state qualifiers.