Richland Northeast 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year

Seymour known in school community as “a giver”

While on a road trip in the summer of 2021, Alisha Seymour and her family were traveling around the United States visiting famous tourist attractions. 

After reaching St. Louis, to see The Gateway Arch, Seymour wanted to try a local, family-owned restaurant called Sweetie Pies. 

“All of a sudden I hear, Hey Ms. Seymour,” she recalled with a chuckle. “I was like what in the world? It was one of my old students,” Seymour said. 

This sudden remembrance of Seymour by the former student is something that she creates from her lasting impression in the classroom. Seymour was named Richland Northeast Teacher of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year.

“Ms. Seymour is an amazing teacher and makes learning Algebra very easy with her explanations,” Freshman Karinne Alleyne said. 

Seymour doesn’t just make good impressions on her students, but on her colleagues as well. Fellow mathematicians department teacher, DeVita Oliver, has known Seymour for 12 to 13 years. 

“Our personalities clicked. Our expectations for the students were similar. From there, we built a bond as friends,” Oliver said. “Now I consider her family.”

Oliver proceeded to describe some of Seymour’s personality traits that make her the great person she is today. Those include Seymour being a “low maintenance person/friend,” “a giver,” and a “jack of all trades.”

Something that shows just how much of a jack of all trades Seymour is, is her degree in massage therapy. 

“I had looked it up and got interested in it, so let me go try doing it,” Seymour said. “It was a nice distraction from regular school stuff too.” 

Oliver also described Seymour as a teacher who allows her students to be themselves, while also giving them multiple opportunities to be successful in the classroom. 

“Education is important,” Seymour said. 

Seymour is a shining personality that has impacted many lives including her coworkers and the students she has taught in her 13 years here at Richland Northeast. 

“I am blessed to have Ms. Seymour in my life,” Oliver said.