Latta honors outstanding teachers

Latta Public Schools is honored to announce its 2019-2020 Teachers of the Year.

Kristi Smith

Kristi Smith has been named the 2019-2020 Latta Elementary Site and District Teacher of the Year, and Tammy Collins has been named as Latta’s Secondary Site Teacher of the Year.

Smith is a second-grade teacher at Latta Public Schools. She is a proud graduate of East Central University, where she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in education and earned her reading specialist master’s degree.

She is married to her husband Todd Smith, and they have two wonderful children, Tanner Smith and Brette Smith, who are both graduates of Latta.

Smith is currently in her 29th year of teaching, and all 29 years have been at Latta Public Schools, where she has taught both first and second grades.

When informed of this award, she stated: “This is an unbelievable honor, receiving this from my Latta colleagues. Everyone at this school does an amazing job and are just as deserving. The blessings the Latta school staff, administration, students and parents have given me over the years is beyond imagination. Thank you all so much.”

She is a highly valued member of the teaching staff and is much deserving of this prestigious honor.

Tammy Collins

Tammy Collins is a sixth-grade teacher at Latta Public Schools. She is a graduate of East Central University, where she earned her bachelor of science degree and a master’s degree in sports administration.

Collins is currently in her 32nd year of teaching. Her first year in education was spent at the alternative education site, and the last 31 years have been teaching in sixth grade at Latta Public Schools.

Collins is married to her husband, Eddie Collins, who coaches high school baseball at Latta, and together they have four children: Lindsay, their daughter; Chad, who is currently serving in Kuwait with the National Guard and will be home sometime in May, and his wife Shawn; Derek, who teaches history at Latta and coaches junior high baseball and is married to his wife, Rachel; and Jake Collins, who is an assistant baseball and basketball coach and teaches physical education at Latta. She also has five adorable grandchildren: Spencer, Carly and Jackson, students of Byng, and Redek, Ralee and Rylan, students of Latta.

She said: “I have been fortunate to be at Latta all these years and to see all of my children graduate here and now one set of grandchildren to go to school here.”

Her favorite memory was when Mr. Shivers, a longtime former elementary principal of Latta Public Schools, made them set up a personal email account. She said at that point, they all had to go to the library to use the computer. She has been amazed at all of the changes that have occurred throughout the years.

Latta is honored to have Mrs. Collins.

Lou Jean Studebaker

Latta Public Schools is honored to announce its retiree, Mrs. Lou Jean Studebaker

Studebaker is retiring from Latta Public Schools after 21 years of service in public education.

Studebaker is an East Central University graduate, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

This is Studebaker’s 20th year at Latta Public Schools, where she currently teaches reading intervention. Previously, she taught preschool, kindergarten and second grade. Before teaching at Latta, she taught alternative education at Mannford High School.

She is married to her husband of 43 years, Jerry Studebaker. Together, they have two children: Jennifer Canada and her husband, Justin, and Jeff Studebaker and his wife, Kristin. They also have three grandchildren: Kenley Canada, a junior at Latta High School, and Riley and Elly Studebaker, students at Carney Public Schools.

When asked why she chose to teach, she responded, “When given the honor of working with children and youth, you learn more than you teach and [the students] keep you young at heart.” 

She continued to say: “I have had an amazing twenty-one years in education, but my first year in alternative education has been the most rewarding year of my career, followed by the last year in reading intervention classes. Another highlight of my career was getting to teach my granddaughter, Kenley, in kindergarten. It has truly been an honor and privilege to teach at Latta for these twenty years. “

Congratulations on your retirement, Lou Jean Studebaker, and thank you for your service at Latta Public Schools.