The Georgia Council for the Social Studies recently named Southeast Bulloch’s Cathy Powell as its Outstanding Social Studies Educator of the Year.  
      Powell, who has taught social studies and history at SEB for four years, was honored during the National Council for Social Studies Conference in Atlanta last month. She also was a featured conference speaker during the event.  
      “It was truly a privilege and honor to accept this award as an educator from SEB and the Bulloch County Schools,” Powell said.
      The Council presents the award annually to educators who make outstanding contributions in their field. She recently served on the state committee tasked with writing the performance standards for Georgia’s social studies curriculum, and she is consistently commended as being highly effective at helping students of any skill level achieve.
      “She has a unique ability to reach struggling learners who need remediation for the social studies section of the Georgia High School Graduation Test,” said Dr. Fran Stephens, Bulloch assistant superintendent of Teaching and Learning for grades 6-12.
Powell said she uses a variety of teaching methods from skits to projects, models, map making and even music.
       “I give Ms. Powell credit for my decision to be a history major,” said Michael Stephens, whom Powell taught during the seven years she was at Statesboro High. “My first semester of college, I took a very challenging U.S. History course that had a notoriously high failure rate, and while my classmates struggled, I easily made an A. Ms. Powell prepared me well for my future endeavors.”
      Powell is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgia Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in communication arts. She holds two master’s degrees from GSU in secondary social science education and in administration. Powell is also a National Board Certified Teacher.
      She has taught in Bulloch County schools all 11 years of her career.