Title: Retired Educator
Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States
Kathryn Bresee McCarter, Retired Educator, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in English and History Education.
Ms. McCarter’s distinguished career in education spanned more than five decades, culminating in her retirement from Sacred Heart Cathedral School in 2019. Her final professional role was as an English and history teacher at the school, where she spent over five years. During this time, Ms. McCarter focused on teaching grammar and literature and, during her last year, history. She also served as the National Junior Honor Society sponsor, further demonstrating her commitment to student engagement and academic excellence.
Before her tenure at Sacred Heart Cathedral School, Ms. McCarter taught English and reading in Knox County Schools from 1997 to 2013. Her dedication to student outcomes led to her recognition as one of the top 32 seventh-grade teachers in Tennessee. Ms. McCarter notably spent over a decade at the new West Valley Middle School.
Ms. McCarter’s earlier experience included serving as an adjunct instructor at Roane State Community College from 1995 to 1996. In this capacity, she taught motivated adult learners, an experience she found rewarding despite the challenges of balancing evening and weekend classes with family life. Ms. McCarter’s teaching journey began at Christian Academy of Knoxville from 1980 to 1982, where she instructed middle and high school students in English. This initial role followed her first professional position as a youth director at a local Presbyterian church after college, which prepared her for working with young people in both religious and academic settings.
Ms. McCarter’s academic background laid a strong foundation for her achievements in education. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, with highest honors, from the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Tennessee in 1975. Subsequently, she received a Master of Science in Education with a minor in communications. Ms. McCarter’s academic excellence was recognized through induction into Phi Beta Kappa and service as the secretary for the mortar board at the University of Tennessee. Additionally, she completed secondary English certification coursework at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a 402 elementary certification covering all subjects for grades kindergarten through eight, and a 407 English certification for grades seven through 12 from the state of Tennessee.
Since college, Ms. McCarter has maintained active membership in Alpha Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Lambda Delta, Kappa Delta Pi and Pi Delta Phi. She has been actively involved in philanthropic endeavors, including volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. In education, Ms. McCarter served as a community representative on the research ethics committee at the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where she contributed to ethical oversight of research practices. She also volunteered as an art teacher within Knox County Schools.
Ms. McCarter’s creative pursuits have included participation in numerous music and musical theater presentations during her time as a student at the University of Tennessee. As a member of Vol Chorus, she performed classical works, such as Haydn’s “Creation.” Her involvement in musical theater included roles in productions such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Mikado,” “Hello, Dolly” and “Dark of the Moon,” and a lead role in “The Fantasticks.” With the Wesley Foundation at the University of Tennessee, she acted in small presentations, such as “Plays for Clowns in Christ.” In later years, Ms. McCarter continued singing sacred works, including Handel’s “Messiah,” as part of large Methodist and Presbyterian choirs.
Throughout her career in the classroom, Ms. McCarter’s expertise in student engagement and grammar became widely recognized, earning her the designation of a level five teacher and selection as a Talent Transfer Initiative candidate by the superintendent based on her students’ high Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program scores. She was also named Torchbearer at the University of Tennessee, one of the institution’s highest honors. Among Ms. McCarter’s most significant honors, however, was being voted Teacher of the Year by her colleagues at West Valley Middle School, a testament to her impact within the educational community.
Ms. McCarter attributes much of her success to being a firstborn daughter with an innate sense of responsibility. Both parents also instilled in her the importance of learning, which became central to her professional philosophy. Looking ahead, Ms. McCarter intends to remain active with book clubs and church choirs while supporting family members who need assistance. She hopes to be remembered for genuinely loving her colleagues and students, and for inspiring an appreciation for reading, literature, language and faith among those she taught. In public school settings where direct expression of faith was not permitted, Ms. McCarter sought to model these values through her actions.
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