Kelly High teacher honored with statewide award

One of the best in the state – that’s Jerrilynn Miller who teaches at Msgr. Kelly Catholic High School in Beaumont. She has been selected as the 2019 Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops’ High School Teacher of the Year.

Lisette Allen, director of TCCB’s Education Department, awarded Miller with a signature trophy and a $250 award during a presentation Jan. 28 at Kelly High School. This is the inaugural year of the award, making Miller the first high school teacher to have been selected.

“Thank you all so much for allowing me to be part of the Kelly High School family,” Miller said upon receiving her award.

“I have learned so much and was able to grow with you guys, and I just wanted to say thank you for this honor.”

Miller has been teaching for 17 years, five of which have been at Msgr. Kelly Catholic High School. She teaches world geography and holocaust literature, a course she implemented, in which students study Anti-Semitism and modern genocide. She grew up in Port Arthur and attended Lamar University in which she received her bachelor’s degree in communications.

The TCCB’s choice for Elementary School Teacher of the Year is Vivian Conway. Conway has been teaching for 30 years at St. Louis Catholic School in Austin. But she also has a local connection – she grew up in Groves. At St. Louis she has taught middle school social studies and a variety of elective courses including world religions. Conway holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in government from Lamar University.