The Selma City School system chose two educators as their state teacher of the year candidates.

Cedar Park Elementary and Sophia P. Kingston Elementary School media specialist Krystal Dozier and Selma High School science teacher, Mashika Tempero-Culliver will be in the running for the state teacher of the year award.

A teacher was chosen from each school in the system, according to Selma City School Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams.

“Within this group of teachers, we do have some standouts that will go on to represent Selma City Schools at the state level,” said Williams.

Dozier will represent Selma City Schools in the elementary division, and Tempero-Culliver will be in the secondary education division.

Dozier received her Bachelor of Science in early education from Concordia College Alabama and her master’s degree in School Library Media from the University of West Alabama.

Dozier is a former employee in state and city government and a member of the historical Tabernacle Baptist Church.

She also serves on the Planning Committee for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Having grown up in poverty, Tempero-Culliver was awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship to pursue her education at Auburn University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical sciences.

Tempero-Culliver went on to earn a Master of Education degree in secondary biology from Auburn University in Montgomery, an education specialist degree in instructional technology from the same institution and is now a prospective PhD student.

Statewide winners will be announced in Spring 2019 and go on to represent the state in the national selection process, which will take place in November 2019.

“Teacher of the Year” nominations were open to any public school certified classroom teacher, librarian, counselor or other certified individual whose major responsibility is to work with children in a P-12 setting and provide learning opportunities to meet the academic goals and graduation requirements set by the Alabama State Board of Education.

Look for a full interview with the winners in Friday’s edition of The Selma Times-Journal.