UPIKE Newsroom

The University of Pikeville (UPIKE) honored the 2025 inductees of the Distinguished Educators Hall of Fame at a ceremony held on October 14 in Booth Auditorium. 

Since 2010, UPIKE has honored educators each year whose dedication to teaching has influenced generations of students, providing strong support for their lifelong commitment to the education profession.

This year’s inductees included Jeanne Williamson Clark of Lexington, Ky., Jessica Devin Eversole of Hazard, Ky., Philip Haywood (posthumously), Leigh Ann Jeffiers of Paintsville, Ky., Glenda Cochran Johnson of Virgie, Ky., Angela Anderson Lockhart of Pikeville, Ky., Richard Maynard of Pikeville, Ky., Sandy Mims of Harold, Ky., and Kay Sproles (posthumously).

Jeanne Williamson Clark (’69) is a lifelong educator and community leader whose career spans more than five decades of service in education, public relations and nonprofit leadership. A graduate of then Pikeville College and Morehead State University, Clark has taught at K–12 and college levels, including positions at Pikeville High School, the University of Kentucky Center for Academic and Tutorial Services and KCTCS Newtown Campus. A passionate and decorated Rotarian since 2003, she has held numerous leadership roles, including president of the Pikeville Rotary Club, District 6740 Governor (2023-24), and Assistant Rotary Membership Coordinator for Rotary Zone 30. Clark has led or supported service projects across India, Mexico and Uganda, and continues to chair the Empowering Girls Forum with the Rotary Club of Lexington After Hours. Her contributions have earned her multiple honors, including Rotarian of the Year and the Rotary Serving Humanity Award. In addition to her Rotary work, she has served on the boards of the Lexington Public Library Foundation and the Bluegrass Council of the Boy Scouts of America. With a passion for cultural exploration, Clark has traveled to more than 40 countries, enriching her global perspective and dedication to service.

Jessica Devin Eversole has dedicated more than 21 years to the teaching profession, with experience ranging from middle school English/language arts to K–12 learning behavior disabilities. She currently teaches high school language arts at Hazard High School, where she is beginning her third year. Known for her holistic, student-centered approach, Eversole is committed to creating safe, nurturing environments that foster academic growth, character development and confidence in every learner. She is a member of the Kentucky Education Association. She has been recognized with the Teacher Leader Award for four consecutive years, as well as the Mentor Teacher Award for guiding new educators. Outside the classroom, she is active in community service, including flood relief efforts, tutoring and organizing local clean-up events. Eversole and her husband have been married for 22 years and are proud parents of two children: Jaycie, a nursing student at Galen, and Evin, who is studying pre-law/criminal justice at Alice Lloyd College.

Philip Haywood had a remarkable career, not only as the winningest high school football coach in Kentucky history but also as a humble educator whose influence reached far beyond the gridiron. After graduating from Eastern Kentucky University, Haywood began his coaching journey as head coach at Prestonsburg. He later took the helm at Belfry High School in 1984, leading the Pirates for 41 seasons and capturing eight state championships, including a historic four‑peat from 2013 to 2016, and six runner‑up finishes. His success on the field earned him widespread recognition, including being the first Kentucky coach named National Football Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. However, his impact as a mentor and role model truly defined his career. Coach Haywood approached coaching as a form of teaching, using football to instill in his players the values of discipline, teamwork and perseverance, preparing them not just for games, but for life.

Leigh Ann Jeffiers currently serves as the RTI Coach and SEL Specialist at Johnson County Middle School, where she is entering her fourth year. With more than two decades of classroom experience, she previously taught for nine years at Central Elementary and fifteen years at W.R. Castle Elementary. A proud graduate of Johnson Central High School, Jeffiers holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in elementary education from Morehead State University (MSU), as well as a Rank I in Instructional Supervision from Union College. She is LETRS administrator-trained, a Kagan coach and has mentored six student teachers. She is deeply committed to educating the whole child and creates inclusive, supportive learning environments that foster critical thinking and lifelong learning. Beyond the classroom, Jeffiers is an active member of the MSU Alumni Association, a preschool and Sunday School teacher at Hager Hill Free Will Baptist Church and a former PTO sponsor. She and her husband, Brian, have three daughters: Brianna, who is a nurse; Leslie, who is a 7th-grade math teacher at Johnson County Middle, and Cyndi, an 8th-grade student there. They are also proud grandparents to Harrison, the son of Brianna and her husband, Harley.

Glenda Johnson (’65), a dedicated educator and lifelong resident of Eastern Kentucky, devoted more than 30 years to teaching mathematics, history, and health at several area high schools, including Belfry, Hellier, Virgie and Shelby Valley, before retiring in 1991. A 1957 graduate of Belfry High School, she enrolled at then Pikeville College that fall and began teaching after just two years of college due to a shortage of math teachers. She later completed her degree alongside her husband of 65 years, Philip Johnson, also a Pikeville College graduate. In her tenure, she is proud to have never had one single disciplinary issue with a student. Glenda is a devoted member of the Church of Christ, the loving mother of three children, Melissa, Byron and Nathan, and grandmother to six, with one great-grandchild. Reflecting on her career, she described it as a wonderful journey, one that she loved every minute.

Angela Lockhart (’97) recently retired from the Pike County School District after an accomplished career spanning 28 years. She taught English at Pike County Central High School for 25 years, following her early tenure at Belfry High. Lockhart was recognized as the 2020-21 Kentucky Secondary Teacher of the Year by the state VFW and a 2021–22 nominee for the Kentucky Valvoline Teacher of the Year. Beyond classroom instruction, Lockhart served as a journalism advisor and was a Kentucky Journalism Association state champion. She also served as a dual‑credit English professor at Morehead State University and an adjunct education instructor at UPIKE where she is also the assistant director of the Center for Career, Vocation and Leadership. She developed widely adopted ACT and KYOTE prep curricula, held leadership roles in AP coordination, School-Based Decision Making, the Pike County Language Arts Writing Team, Link Crew mentorship and Student Council advising. During the February 2025 flooding, she coordinated emergency shelter operations and supply logistics at her school. A Kentucky Writing Project and Morehead Writing Project fellow, Lockhart is deeply committed to mentoring new teachers, guiding university students, tutoring professionals and supporting students in college and career readiness. She lives in Pikeville with her husband, Keith and their three children, Carter, Conner and Lia.

Richard Maynard (’68) is a lifelong educator, coach and community leader whose career spans more than four decades of service and dedication. He served at Millard High School for more than 29 years as a driver’s education, history and physical education teacher; a basketball coach with 115 career wins—the most in school history; athletic director; and assistant principal for 15 years. In addition, he devoted 46 and a half years as a bus driver for the Pike County Board of Education and led the National Youth Corps Summer Program. A proud Pikeville College alumnus, Richard was inducted into the Pikeville College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993 for his outstanding performance on the basketball court, where he led small colleges nationally in field goal percentage and remains one of the school’s top rebounders. He was also part of the 1966-67 Bears team that won the conference championship and was inducted collectively into the Hall of Fame in 1995. Richard is a member of several professional organizations, including the Kentucky Education Association, National Education Association, KHSAA and local retired teachers association. Deeply rooted in faith and service, he has participated in numerous outreach efforts and currently serves as Deacon Emeritus at Grace Baptist Church of Shelbiana. He shares his life with his wife, Judy Bartley Maynard (a fellow 1968 PC alum), their daughter Dr. Whitney Maynard Rauth, son-in-law Bill Rauth, and beloved grandchildren Lakin, Will and Colton.

Sandy Mims (’87) is a dedicated educator and mentor who has spent the past fifteen years serving as a Business and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) teacher at Betsy Layne High School. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from then Pikeville College and both a master’s in clinical psychology and a master’s in teaching from Morehead State University. Before entering the classroom, Mims worked as a psychological associate for seven years, later continuing to support education as an adjunct professor at Big Sandy Community and Technical College and Pikeville College while focusing on her family. Passionate about empowering youth, she is committed to helping students prepare for their futures through career readiness and personal development. A recipient of the BLHS Gold Star Award for Service, she is an active member of the Kentucky Business Education Association (KBEA) and the Coal Run Church of Christ. She is also a proud wife to Tony Mims and mother to three children, Dominique, Nathaniel and Chase. 

Kay Sproles (’77), a beloved educator from Virgie, Ky., taught mathematics at Virgie High School and Shelby Valley High School for 27 and a half years before retiring in 2009. She inspired a generation of students to fall in love with math and motivated many, including her own daughter, to follow in her footsteps as a math teacher. Sproles began her college education at Alice Lloyd College and earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from then Pikeville College. She was a devoted member of Long Fork Freewill Baptist Church. She was the mother of two children and had six grandchildren.

Please visit www.youtube.com/@upikebears/streams to view the ceremony in its entirety.