Kimberly Cameron-Bowden has been named the Certified Employee of the Month for February by Johnston County Public Schools. She teaches eighth-grade English 1 and English Language Arts at Benson Middle School and is in her second year of teaching.
Cameron-Bowden says she enjoys encouraging students to reach their academic potential and aims to make her classroom a safe and creative space. When not teaching, she spends time with family, crafts, and travels.
Asked about her motivation for becoming a teacher, Cameron-Bowden said: “Helping children learn is my passion! My goal as an educator is to make a positive impact on students’ lives, build those meaningful relationships, and most importantly, be someone’s ‘WHY!’”
She reflected on lessons learned in her profession: “Through this profession, I have learned that effective education demands a high degree of patience. I have also learned that to really teach students and capture their minds, I must first capture their hearts. For me, capturing a child’s heart ensures they know that I am truly invested in them as a student and as a person.”
She added: “This profession has also taught me that education is crucial for our children because it fosters personal growth and critical thinking. Our students must learn how to navigate and solve real-world problems.”
Cameron-Bowden discussed building trust with students: “The approaches I use to create trust, and bond with my students are acknowledging each, and every student by name in the mornings when greeting them. I also ensure that students feel they belong, and they are not alone. My classroom is their home away from home.”
Describing a memorable experience from her career so far, she recounted: “A memorable teaching experience that had a lasting impact on me is when a student came to me one day after class. With tears in her eyes she said, ‘Ms. Cameron, all my life I heard that I would never be a good writer because I couldn’t speak English very well.
However, you believed in me, you pushed me, and always encouraged me that I can be anything as long as I apply myself.’ The student went on to tell me that it stuck with her.
She emails me often, and she is in the process of writing a book for the National Educators Rising Competition in June. This student went from having no direction and feeling like she didn’t belong, to making all A’s and she has joined the student government club. In October, she was also elected Freshman Vice-President.
She wants to become a teacher and shared with me that I am her ‘WHY’ for pursuing a career as an educator!”
Looking ahead at future goals within education, Cameron-Bowden stated: “Looking ahead in my career as an educator, I would like to become an English/Language Arts curriculum coach, school counselor or even an assistant principal.”
Addressing this year’s district theme of Forward—focused on student achievement—she said: “Sometimes kids will say ‘I’ve never been able to’ or ‘I’ve never been good at.’ However, I push my students to their full potential, and set the bar high for them.
I also remind my students that it doesn’t matter about what they learned previously or how they performed academically in the past. We are going to focus on the now and the future. Let’s work towards who you are striving to be; what career you want to pursue; and start reaching for those goals!”
Johnston County Schools serves more than 37,000 students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across communities in Johnston County according to its official website. The district promotes diversity among its student body—with families representing over 45 languages—and offers programs spanning arts athletics as well as comprehensive support services as detailed online. Its mission includes empowering students for success within a global society while maintaining advanced academics supported by community resources according to district information.
