LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Stephanie Williams, a Mountain View music teacher, was named the 2026 Arkansas Teacher of the Year on Tuesday.

Williams works as an elementary music teacher within the Benton School District. She's been an educator for 16 years, teaching music at both elementary and secondary levels.

"I grew up loving music. I knew as a sixth grader in band playing my clarinet, that I wanted to do something with music and an education, so I became a band director, but my heart strings were pulled to elementary," Williams said.

She pointed to relationship-building as an integral part of her teaching style — acknowledging how it can make students feel safer within a classroom.

"Building those relationships with those kids is of utmost importance, because once they feel secure and safe

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