Before the weekly staff meeting Tuesday at Mamie Martin Elementary School, Assistant Principal and Chamber President Rob McCreary recognized Kimberly L. Arnold as the chamber's Teacher of the Month.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President Cliff Brumfield said the chamber's board of directors thought it important to recognize the area's educators for the hard work they do in working with the children of Brookhaven and Lincoln County.

"This program not only recognizes our finest educators on an annual basis, but also gives us a chance to thank other individuals that put forth an effort in enhancing the lives of our young people," Brumfield said.

He said the Teachers of the Month will create the pool from which the Teacher of the Year will be chosen at the end of the year. He said area schools will be rotated in order to give each school a chance to submit those they feel deserving of the award.

"Each month we'll pick a different school and they will provide their designation for the award recipient," Brumfield said. "From this group, the Educator of the Year will be chosen."

Arnold has been involved in education since 1995 after graduating from Mississippi State University with a degree in Elementary Education. In December, she will graduate from Mississippi College with a master's degree in Dyslexia Therapy.

Arnold has been with the Brookhaven School District since August of 2005 as a first grade teacher. She was the Madison County Business and Commerce Center's Teacher of the Year in 2002.