Nashari Williams, a second-grade teacher at School of Inquiry–Hodges Elementary in the Greenwood 50 district, has been named a finalist for South Carolina Teacher of the Year.
Background and Approach
Inspired by her mother—a teacher’s assistant in special needs—she earned a BS in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s in Diverse Teaching from Lander University. Williams fosters nurturing, consistent classrooms based on her own positive childhood school memories, empowering students to thrive.
Classroom Innovations
Her standout economics unit features a school-wide “Market Day” for hands-on entrepreneurship and financial literacy lessons. Differentiated instruction yields strong results, with students hitting 70%+ mastery on NWEA MAP assessments.
Praise and Next Steps
State Superintendent Ellen Weaver lauded Williams as transformative, while Greenwood 50 Superintendent Shane Goodwin hailed her dedication. As a finalist, she gets $10,000 and advances to interviews; the winner, announced April 23 in Columbia, receives $25,000 plus a year-long BMW lease as ambassador.
