Dr. Samara Zeiger has been an educator in the DeKalb County School District for a combined total of 15 years. She started her educational career as an elementary school teacher at Forrest Hills Elementary and then at Marbut Theme School. While teaching elementary school she worked on, and received, her double Master’s Degree in Composition and Rhetoric and Creative Writing at Kennesaw State University. She loved the college environment so much that she became an adjunct professor at KSU and went on to get her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at Mercer University. She has been teaching English at DECA for seven years now. Along with teaching English, Dr. Zeiger is the sponsor of the 21st Century Leaders club, which provides scholars the opportunity to define and craft their leadership skills. Outside of teaching, Dr. Zeiger is a huge fan hanging out with her sweet dog Ellie and collecting anything related to elephants and Stitch. The honor of being 2022-2023’s teacher of the year at a school like DECA is truly humbling, and Dr. Zeiger is forever grateful to the scholars, faculty, and staff for this recognition.