When hard work, passion and dedication mix together, everything works out for the good in the end.
On Nov. 10, chemistry teacher Lauren Battcher was named the 2025-2026 Bullitt East Teacher of the Year. With a total of 16 years of teaching and 12 with Charger Nation, she’s been able to grow from the knowledge of her fellow coworkers. Seeing many students on a daily basis, she’s building a lasting legacy for herself, future students, and teachers.
Teaching wasn’t the intent for Battcher, but life led her on the journey. Right after college, she taught for a few years, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to do it forever, which led her to switch careers. However, she flipped back as she missed teaching and ended up moving to Mount Washington where her forever home is now.
“I was very surprised and honored because there are so many great teachers here,” Battcher said. “I look up to so many of my colleagues, so to be recognized with an award like this was a cool moment.”
By having the opportunity to work alongside many colleagues throughout the building, this made the entire moment for Battcher more significant. Having several years under her belt makes all the long days, hard lessons, and everything in between worth it.
“I’m not someone who looks for recognition, necessarily, but it always feels good to be recognized for your hard work, feel valued and appreciated,” Battcher said.
Throughout her tenure at Bullitt East, she’s had a plethora of students walk through her classroom doors. No matter if they were in her class or simply talked to her throughout the day, she’s left a positive impact on their high school experience.
“I don’t think I’ve ever not seen her smile, but it was never fake, she was always very genuine and loved what she was teaching,” senior Lauren Sexton said. “I always loved how down to earth she was too, she was very understanding of circumstances but also didn’t let other students walk over her.”
Now a former student of Battcher, Sexton always remembers her as a positive light. The work was always fun and interactive, along with loads of humor including jokes being shown on the board. Her favorite memory from being in Battcher’s class was when the class got to shoot Pringle cans like rockets during a lab.
“What makes her a great teacher everyday is her attitude,” senior Travis Crawhorn said. “Whether or not a student was rude or acted up in her class, she always had a smile on her face and handled every situation so kindly that no one can ever truly stay mad at her. She has to be one of the most caring teachers around.”
Also a former student along with current student aide of Battcher, Crawhorn remembers her as one of the most genuine teachers at Bullitt East. He mentioned that she always approaches everyone with an open heart. When looking back at his time in her class, a memory that sticks out to him is giving students confidence. When students don’t feel good about themselves as she passes out quizzes and tests, she lets them know that they can do it and will do good. If they don’t end up passing, she’s always there with make ups, time to stay after school, and assistance when teaching the material again.
“A favorite memory I have is Mole Day because she made it so much fun filled with games and themed activities,” junior Libby Jaggers said.
As a current student in Battcher’s chemistry class, Jaggers likes how friendly she always is and any time someone needed anything, she would go out of her way to help. Chemistry is a pretty hard class for her but having Battcher as a teacher makes it a lot more enjoyable.
Whether it involves greeting students in the hallways or serving as a guiding leader in the classroom, Battcher is showing how every positive action can lead towards a much larger impact.
