Nassau, Bahamas - Andrea Simms- Adderley, a nine year teaching veteran currently posted at the Garvin Tynes Primary School was declared the winner of the Ninth National Teacher of The Year 2010-2012 at the gala affair which was held at the Rainforest Theatre of the Wyndham Cable Beach Resort on Saturday, 24th April, 2010.

Mrs Simms-Adderley who won four out the eight categories assessed for the outstanding teacher award was lauded for her contributions to education including devising academic and behaviorial intervention plans for students with disabilities; staging numerous workshops for teachers from public and independent schools; and working on the Department of Education’s curriculum team for primary school Language Arts.   

She has also conducted conclaves for teachers, teacher-aides, and parents in a variety of subject areas including Reading Interventions, Improving Writing Instruction, Behaviour Modification and Positive Parenting During her short teaching career Mrs Simms-Adderley has also taught at St John’s College, Albury Sayle and Glinton’s Primary (Long Island). The humble honouree, in accepting the award, encouraged teachers to continue to do their best for the children of our nation.

Other teachers receiving awards were: Afrika Karamo-Miller, a Modern Language teacher at the Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior School was the first place runner-up; Latoya Burrows, a Language Arts at S C McPherson Junior, 2nd runner-up; Lynn Gibson, a Spanish teacher at L W Young Junior High School, 3rd runner-up and Triver Culmer, a French teacher at the C. C. Sweeting Senior High School placed fourth in the competition which featured eleven district finalists.

Minister of Education, The Hon T Desmond Bannister addressed the audience of winners of the teacher of the year awards and guests stating that he found it compelling, at a glance, that all of the teachers speak in their biographies of a ‘Divine Power’ that has brought them to this profession, sustains them, and is the reason they have achieved success.  

“Additionally, I have noticed that your passion for teaching lies at the doorsteps of other teachers and thirdly that you were also outstanding students from primary school to college”, Minister Bannister remarked.

The Minister also said, “The presence of these 11 district finalists and school winners of the Teacher of the Year here this evening can be summarized in one statement: Excellent teachers produce excellent students. If this is the reality, then we must seek only excellence to reap excellence in our educational system.”

The night was filled with pomp and pageantry as renowned emcee and leader of The Sting Junkanoo Group, Bernard Hanna along his co-host Mrs Trevor McKay, Principal of H O Nash Junior High School, engaged the audience with his trade-mark humour.  Entertainment was also provided by the Royal Bahamas Police Force Pop Band, singing-sensation Mr Oral Hudson and the H O Nash Junior High School Ensemble.



Mrs Simms-Adderley received a large ‘Crystal Lamp of Learning’, $7,000.00 in cash prizes provided by the Ministry of Education and Higgs & Johnson Law Firm and a grant to attend an educational and professional conference during her two-year reign.  The other four runners-up also received cash awards and trophies as well as educational grants.