Congratulations to Batesburg-Leesville Middle School’s Corey Bedenbaugh on being named the 2026 South Carolina Teacher of the Year!
Mr. Bedenbaugh, an eighth-grade social studies teacher, received this prestigious honor on Thursday, April 24th during the South Carolina Department of Education’s annual “Gala in the Garden,” held at the Governor’s Mansion in Columbia. As one of five exceptional finalists, Corey emerged as the top educator in the state—an achievement that comes with a $25,000 award and a brand-new BMW to drive during his year-long term as South Carolina’s education ambassador.
In this role, Corey will represent over 64,000 educators statewide as he mentors fellow teachers, leads the State Teacher Forum, engages with Teacher Cadets and Teaching Fellows, and speaks at education events across South Carolina.
This historic win marks a proud milestone for Lexington County School District Three as Corey becomes the district’s first-ever South Carolina Teacher of the Year winner!