2026 AACT Teacher of the Year Award Winner

Each year, AACT recognizes K–12 educators with the Teacher of the Year award. Through their pedagogy, dedication, skills, and accomplishments, these teachers make outstanding contributions to the chemistry teaching profession and AACT.

Dorothy Holley has 30 years of teaching experience across many subject areas including, chemistry, environmental science, and physical science. Most recently, she teaches Honors Chemistry and Honors Forensics classes at West Johnston High School in Benson, North Carolina. Dorothy is also the faculty sponsor of the school's long standing and very active ChemClub program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Wake Forest University, a Master of Science in Environmental Education from Montreat College, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Learning and Teaching STEM from North Carolina State University. She is also an adjunct field supervisor for secondary science interns at Western Carolina University.

Dorothy's involvement with AACT includes being a regional representative, publishing an article in Chemistry Solutions, hosting webinars, presenting about the ChemClub Program at both ChemEd and BCCE conferences, and serving on committees. Additionally, Dorothy was an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow and has lead both professional development sessions and present educational research papers with the North Carolina Science Teachers’ Association (NCSTA), National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC), Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE), American Educational Research Association (AERA), and National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). She is passionate about creating strong partnerships and networks for the next generation of chemistry teachers and learners.