The School District of Pickens County (SDPC) is proud to announce that Marlynde Gamboa, a Spanish teacher at Pickens High School, has been named the 2026–2027 District Teacher of the Year. Gamboa was selected from among SDPC’s school-level Teachers of the Year and was announced as the district winner during the annual SDPC Support Employee and Teacher of the Year Banquet on August 25. The banquet celebrates outstanding teachers and support employees from across the district, recognizing their commitment to students, their schools, and the communities they serve.

Mrs. Gamboa brings 27 years of experience in education spanning three countries: Colombia, England, and the United States. At Pickens High, she teaches Spanish courses that include AP Spanish Language and Culture and Spanish for Heritage Speakers, and she serves as World Languages Department Chair. Her work also extends beyond the high school classroom. She teaches English to adult learners through the SDPC Adult Learning Center, serves as a district-approved translator, and advocates for multilingual students and families.

For Mrs. Gamboa, teaching is a calling rooted in helping others recognize their potential. Her own experience learning another language showed her how language can “open doors, expand opportunities, and transform lives,” ultimately allowing her to combine two of her greatest passions: helping others and teaching languages. That philosophy is reflected in a classroom built around high expectations, encouragement, and meaningful relationships. Mrs. Gamboa believes students learn best when they are engaged and enjoy the learning process, and she creates interactive, relevant experiences that connect language and culture to the world beyond the classroom. She encourages students to take risks, view mistakes as opportunities to grow, and develop the confidence to believe in what they can accomplish.

Dr. Ashley Butler, Instructional Coach and Assistant Athletic Director for Academics at Pickens High School and the 2024–2025 SDPC Teacher of the Year, described Mrs. Gamboa’s classroom as a place where students feel valued, challenged, and empowered to grow. Butler said Mrs. Gamboa’s students know she believes in them, and that belief motivates them to achieve more than they thought possible. She also credited Mrs. Gamboa with playing an important role in the success of students earning the Seal of Biliteracy. That impact continues long after students leave her classroom. Tina Hudgens, whose daughter was taught by Mrs. Gamboa, recalled the positive energy Mrs. Gamboa brought to class each morning and the creative, hands-on ways she made challenging material fun and accessible. Three years later, Hudgens said, her daughter still remembers the techniques Mrs. Gamboa used to make learning stick, and Mrs. Gamboa continues to encourage her when they see each other in the hallway.

Pickens High School Principal Lucious Culpepper also praised the positive spirit Mrs. Gamboa brings to the school. “Marlynde has one of the most positive spirits of anyone you will ever meet,” Culpepper said. “It is almost impossible to have a bad day when you walk into her room; her positivity, energy, and bright light are contagious. I am excited for her to represent our Blue Flame Family and the School District of Pickens County.”

Lauren Corn, who worked alongside Mrs. Gamboa for nearly a decade and later served as principal of Pickens High School, offered a perspective shaped by years of seeing her impact on students and colleagues. Corn described Mrs. Gamboa as an advocate, a source of support, a challenger, and an encourager who “leads with joy, serves with humility.”

“Marlynde Gamboa represents the kind of educator who changes lives by helping students see possibilities for themselves that they may not have seen before,” said Superintendent Dr. Danny Merck. “Her passion for teaching, high expectations for students, and genuine belief in what they can accomplish are evident in everything she does. She understands that education is about more than what students learn in the classroom. It is about giving them the confidence, skills, and opportunities to succeed wherever life takes them. We are proud to have her represent SDPC as our District Teacher of the Year.”

Mrs. Gamboa’s influence extends beyond her own classroom. Throughout her career, she has trained future teachers, mentored colleagues, served as a consultant for a bilingual education program, and shared instructional practices with other educators. At Pickens High, she now provides instructional leadership as World Languages Department Chair while continuing to advocate for multilingualism and cultural understanding.

In her Teacher of the Year application, Mrs. Gamboa identified preparing students for an increasingly global and interconnected world as one of the most significant issues facing public education. She believes students need more than academic knowledge to succeed. They also need communication skills, cultural competence, adaptability, empathy, and the ability to collaborate with people from different backgrounds.

As District Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Gamboa hopes to advocate for students, teachers, and the value of public education. Her message is one of hope and the transformative power of education: when students are supported, teachers are valued, and schools and families work together, education can change lives, strengthen communities, and open doors for the future.

District Teacher of the Year Finalists:

Alongside Mrs. Gamboa, SDPC recognized three additional outstanding finalists for District Teacher of the Year:

• Sara Griffith, Easley High School
• Hayley Hoover Rowland, Six Mile Elementary
• Daniel Taylor, D.W. Daniel High School

Each of these finalists exemplifies excellence in teaching and dedication to students, representing the high caliber of educators across the School District of Pickens County.

Each of SDPC’s school-level Teachers of the Year will receive a $100 bonus from the district this year. The four finalists for District Teacher of the Year will each receive a $750 bonus.

SDPC is grateful to Peach State Federal Credit Union for its continued support of the Support Employee and Teacher of the Year programs. In addition to the $750 finalist bonus, Mrs. Gamboa will receive a $1,500 bonus from the district as the 2026–2027 District Teacher of the Year, along with $1,000 from Peach State Federal Credit Union in recognition of her outstanding achievement.