Lexington-Richland School District Five announced its new Teacher of the Year and Support Employee of the Year during a May 12 ceremony.
Brooke Bridges, a kindergarten teacher at Piney Woods Elementary School, was named School District Five’s 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year during the district’s Employee Recognition Program. Cami Ruppe, an instructional assistant at Oak Pointe Elementary School, was named 2025-2026 Support Employee of the Year.
“To be able to celebrate education and our Teachers of the Year and our Support Employees of the Year tonight is a recognition to our community that shows how important our staff is to the vision of our district and that is to Love and Grow Our Students,” School District Five Superintendent Dr. Akil Ross said. “All of our honorees are winners and are a great representation of our district and the fine profession of education.”
Bridges has served at Piney Woods Elementary School since 2021. She began her teaching career in 2005. She received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Newberry College and her Master’s Degree in Divergent Learning from Columbia College. She also earned a reading endorsement and National Board Certification.
“I am not a person who is at a loss for words but it definitely made me speechless,” Bridges said. “It is just the most wonderful feeling to know that the hard work and the nights of losing sleep worrying about kids and if I am making the right decisions and choices for them has paid off. It is a huge validation to the things that I have been doing in my life. This honor is a huge blessing and I am so excited.”
Ruppe has worked in School District Five for five years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education/Sports Medicine with a minor in Health Education. She spent 20 years as a certified personal trainer as well as a certified lifeguard and swim instructor in Spokane, Washington. She moved to South Carolina nearly 22 years ago and began working at Stronghold Athletic Club and Climbing Gym in Columbia. She then took a 7 year break to raise her two children and returned to the workforce in 2019 as a substitute teacher in School District Five. She worked in that role for a year and then was hired at Oak Pointe Elementary in her current position.
“I am speechless and I am so excited to be named the District Support Employee of the Year,” Ruppe said. “There are so many hardworking men and women in this district and it’s just exciting to be their face and their voice. I am looking forward to sharing what they do and to let people know how hard they work behind the scenes.”
Bridges and Ruppe were chosen by a committee after being named Honor Roll finalists in both categories. Along with Bridges, Jennie Goforth from Chapin Intermediate and Charles McDonald from Lake Murray Elementary were named as Teacher of the Year finalists. Shamone Chandler from Dutch Fork Elementary and Bridgette Gause from Ballentine Elementary accompanied Ruppe as finalists for the year’s District’s Support Employee of the Year.
Pictured eft to right are Brooke Bridges, Dr. Akil E. Ross, Sr., and Cami Ruppe.
