KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A chorus teacher at Karns Middle Schools was awarded the Tennessee Department of Education’s Teacher of the Year.

KMS chorus teacher Kami Lunsford is Tennessee’s Teacher of the Year for the 2020-2021 academic year. Commissioner Penny Schwinn made a visit to Karns to award the educator.

TDOE made the announcement live on Wednesday afternoon.

“Congratulations to Kami Lunsford from Karns Middle School for being selected as the 2020-21 Tennessee Teacher of the Year. We are incredibly proud of your accomplishments, and humbled by your dedication to students.”

According to the Karns Middle School Chorus website, Lunsford is originally from West Tennessee and had moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee Knoxville School of Music, where she studied Music Education & Italian (also studied at Universita Di Urbino).

Lunsford also directs theater at Karns Middle; she can act, play, sing and enjoys traveling with her husband.