Lucile Souders’ Ebony Chisholm Named 2025 CCS Teacher Assistant of the Year
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – During a heartfelt ceremony held on Wednesday, April 23 at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Cumberland County Schools (CCS) named Ebony Chisholm, a teacher assistant and bus driver at Lucile Souders Elementary School, as the district’s 2025 Teacher Assistant of the Year.
Chisholm, now in her 11th year in education, is known for going above and beyond—both inside the classroom and on her bus route. When her name was called, she was overwhelmed with emotion.
“I was shocked. I wanted to cry, but I held it together,” Chisholm said.
Chisholm draws on her own experiences as a student to inspire her work each day. She described her role as one of purpose and presence—being exactly who she once needed when she was younger.
“I try to be who I needed when I was younger,” she said. “When I would lack motivation, I needed somebody to pick me up.”
Her impact is felt through daily affirmations, personal handshakes and quiet moments of encouragement, which she uses to fill the emotional and academic gaps some students face. She believes teacher assistants play a vital, often unseen, role in a school’s success.
“We’re the glue,” Chisholm said. “Wherever there’s a gap, we fill in.”
Chisholm also expressed gratitude to her school leaders, fellow educators and, most importantly, her students—whom she calls her greatest motivation.
Finalists for the 2025 Teacher Assistant of the Year:
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April Rhodes – Raleigh Road Elementary School
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Dennis Burden – Anne Chesnutt Middle School
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Regina Cone – Stoney Point Elementary School
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Shenikka Townsend – Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary School
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Jamesa France – Cumberland Mills Elementary School
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Sarah Thompson – Beaver Dam Elementary School
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Lakeisha Gilchrist – Alderman Road Elementary School
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Latisha Boney – Morganton Road Elementary School
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Alathia Blunston – Ashley Elementary School
CCS extends its sincere congratulations to all finalists and thanks event sponsors ESS, Background Investigation Bureau (BIB), Greenside Up Garden and Gifts and Chef Tina Henson for their generous support of the event.
2025 CCS Teacher Assistant of the Year Ebony Chisholm
2025 CCS Teacher Assistant of the Year finalists pose with district leaders
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