When Lowndes County Schools Teacher of the Year Ashleigh Kenny walks the halls of Pine Grove Middle School, she does so with a unique perspective. She isn’t just the Instructional Lead Teacher helping colleagues refine their craft; she is also a proud product of Lowndes County Schools herself.
“I was that kid sitting in these same classrooms,” Kenny said. “Teachers here saw something in me before I ever saw it in myself. That encouragement changed everything for me.”
Ironically, teaching was not always part of her plan. Kenny once imagined a different path, but as she grew older and reflected on the impact her own teachers had made, she realized her true calling. “I wanted to be that person for someone else,” she explained. “I wanted students to feel seen and capable, just like I once did.”
Over the past 13 years, Kenny has taught multiple levels of middle grades English Language Arts, earning a reputation for creativity in the classroom and a knack for making learning meaningful. She first set out to become a strong content specialist, believing her students deserved a teacher who knew the material inside and out. Over the years, with the guidance and collaboration of colleagues, she refined her approach, developing a teaching style that blends her own strengths with best practices and prioritizes connection as much as content. “If students understand the ‘why,’ they lean in and take ownership of their learning,” she said.
But what makes Kenny stand out most is her ability to see a need—and make something happen. When she recognized the benefits of emotional support animals for student well-being, she didn’t just talk about it. She made it a reality. Kenny brought Grover, a trained support dog, to school. Now, Grover is a beloved member of the PGMS family, padding through the halls at her side and providing comfort and calm to students and staff alike.
Kenny also points to her son, Kysen, as one of her greatest inspirations. Becoming a mother has reshaped the way she sees her work. At convocation, where Kenny was first announced as Teacher of the Year in front of all Lowndes County Schools staff, Kysen came to support her and wanted to sit beside her. She was tending to him during the program and wasn’t looking at the screen when her name and photo appeared. It was Kysen who pointed and exclaimed, “Mommy!” prompting her to look up and realize she had won. Before it even sank in, instinctively, she carried Kysen with her on stage to accept the award. “It felt right—it is always the two of us,” she said.
That bond with her son also shapes her classroom philosophy. “Having my son has made me a different kind of—and a better—teacher,” she said. “Every day, he motivates me. I think about how every student in my classroom is somebody’s Kysen. That perspective changes everything.”
Her dedication extends beyond the classroom, with recognitions such as Valdosta’s Woman of the Year, Rotary’s Service Above Self Award, and the city’s “4 Under 40” honor highlighting her broader impact. Yet for Kenny, it always comes back to relationships—with students, families, and her community. “I want students to know their story matters,” she said. “I want them to feel empowered to lead in their own lives, because that’s what this profession is really about—building people up.”
For Lowndes County Schools, Kenny is not just a Teacher of the Year. She is living proof of what can happen when a community invests in its children. From the young girl once inspired by her own teachers to the educator now inspiring the next generation, Ashleigh Kenny’s story is a full-circle reminder of the power of purpose, perseverance, and heart.
