CENTRE — Centre Elementary School teacher Jennifer Mackey was recently named as a 2011 nominee for the Alabama Teacher of the Year and Jacksonville State University Teacher Hall of Fame.

Mackey teaches third grade at Centre Elementary and has been instructing local students since 1998. She has also served as job coach for the county school system and previously taught in Cave Spring, Ga.

Mackey, who graduated from Jacksonville State University in 1995, was awarded her master's degree in education administration from JSU in 2005.

Mackey said she was influenced to become a teacher by the positive influence of her parents and the desire to work with children.

"I grew up as an only child until I was in middle school and my parents decided to become foster parents," Mackey said. "Their patience and love for those children had a great impact on my becoming a teacher."

If Mackey is chosen to be inducted during a ceremony on the JSU campus in May, she will become Cherokee County's first-ever recipient of the honor."