Cumberland County Schools’ 2021 Teacher of the Year has been voted the Regional Teacher of the Year. Nicole Rivers learned that she had been named the 2021 Sandhills Regional Teacher of the Year while attending a routine meeting. She teaches ninth and tenth grade English at Gray's Creek High School.

"I'm just overwhelmed. I thought I would have found out with just a simple phone call,” she said. “They got me good with the announcement during the Zoom meeting." Rivers will compete against eight other regional winners for the state title. Interviews are scheduled for Feb. 19 in Cary.

The N.C. Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by Burroughs Wellcome.