The top teachers throughout Warren County were honored Wednesday during the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce’s 29th annual Educator of the Year ceremony.

Twenty-one teachers were honored as teacher of the year for their school during the ceremony before the elementary and secondary educators of the year were announced.

The winner of secondary teacher of the year was Warren Central NJROTC instructor Jimmy Holder.

“I was shocked,” Holder said. “I really didn’t expect that I would be selected. I felt like it was an educator recognition and they would go with a mainstream educator. I am not a mainstream educator, but I am very privileged to have that role.”

Holder has been at Warren Central for 10 years and has taught for 19 years in all following a 20-year career in the Marine Corps. He will be retiring at the end of the school year and said it is “satisfying” to be named educator of the year in his final year.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized for anything special,” Holder said. “Certainly, this is special and important. To be selected at the school level was an honor and a privilege and this just elevates that. It is a privilege to represent all these people.”

Kristy Gross, a fourth grade teacher at Vicksburg Intermediate, was selected as elementary educator of the year.

“Totally shocked,” Gross said of her reaction. “I am waiting for them to recall it again to make sure. I’m very humbled.”

Gross is in her third year teaching at VIS. In a previous interview with The Vicksburg Post, Gross said it, “It is a very humbling experience,” to have been selected her school’s teacher of the year. She comes from a family of educators and said she entered the field after seeing the need for good teachers who could encourage students.

“It means more than I could even imagine,” Gross said of winning the chamber award. “I am still in shock, but I am blown away and excited. It means a lot.”

This year the chamber also recognized a first runner up for each award. Beth Krapac, an engineering teacher in the Career Technical Education program, was named first runner-up for secondary educator of the year.

“I was stunned,” Krapac said. “I really didn’t expect to win. This is crazy.”

Krapac is in her second year teaching in the CTE program after previously teaching at Warren Central Junior High.

“Everything,” Krapac said of the meaning of winning the award. “I will spend the money most likely on supplies. It is going to help me a lot. To think that people would recognize me for what I do, what I enjoy doing, is a blessing. It is just amazing.”

Misty Broome, who works as a teacher in a self-contained class for children with autism and other disabilities at Beechwood Elementary, was named first runner-up for elementary educator of the year.

“It is a very nice honor,” Broome said. “I was very surprised and it is a humbling thing. I wasn’t expecting it.”

Broome has been teaching since 2008 after previously working as a case manager and for MIDD-West, an industry for disabled individuals. She said she made the decision to become a teacher after realizing, “it was the place I needed to be.”

The winners of elementary and secondary educators of the year received $1,000 from Ameristar Casino. The runner-ups each received $500 from Mutual Credit Union.

The winners were selected by a panel of former educators Carole Campbell, Charlie Tolliver, Barbara Burns, Judy Williams, Diane Cidell and Julie Tillotson.