Lucinda Mason has been named Demopolis High School’s Teacher of the Year, as announced by DHS principal Dr. Isaac Espy Jr. on Wednesday.

“This is one of the most difficult decisions made at this campus,” Espy said. “We have so many outstanding teachers who deserve this prestigious honor.

“Ms. Mason has been at the school for 26 years, and she has single-handedly built this DECA program (Distributive Education Clubs of America) into a national-class organization. It consistently boasts national and state officers. Ms. Mason serves on many committees and is a leader among her peers. Many students have graduated from here whose lives have been affected by Ms. Mason.

“She is very well respected by her colleagues here at Demopolis High School,” he said. “We are very proud of her, and I’m proud to work with her. I’ve learned a lot from her.”

Mason teaches business and marketing education, elective courses for grades nine through 12. She teaches classes such as business marketing essentials, marketing dynamics, entrepreneurship and personal finance, and coordinates the study that goes along with the co-op program.

“It was quite a surprise,” she said of earning the award. “I feel inadequate for the honor, but it feels good.”

“A lot of times, our electives teachers get lost in the shuffle,” Espy said. “Ms. Mason is perhaps the best example of the influence that a non-core teacher can have on the effectiveness of our overall academic program and on the climate of our school.”

The Demopolis City School System now has all four of its Teachers of the Year. In February, the school board will choose one of those four to represent Demopolis City Schools as a candidate for Alabama Teacher of the Year.

Those four candidates are Mason, Derrick Hester of Demopolis Middle School, Penny Stanford of U.S. Jones Elementary School and Dee Roark of Westside Elementary School.