By JEFF PHILLIPS
HARLAN COUNTY SCHOOLS
Michelle Helton Gross is a graduate of Wallins Elementary School, James A. Cawood High School and Cumberland College. Today, she serves as Kentucky Teacher of the Year and is one of five finalists for National Teacher of the Year.
Recently, Gross served as the keynote speaker for the Kentucky School Boards Association's Summer Leadership Institute, where she addressed school board members, school district administrators and others from across the Commonwealth.
During her address, Gross reflected on growing up in Harlan County and the profound impact her teachers and community had on her life—an influence she now carries into her own classroom as a seventh-grade mathematics teacher in Spencer County.
“I am so grateful for all of my teachers at Wallins Elementary School and James A. Cawood High School. Every teacher I had made a lasting impact on my life,” said Gross. “ I am especially thankful for the teachers who gave me vibrant learning experiences and opportunities to learn beyond the walls of the classroom.
“My very first trip outside the country was because my French teacher took us to Quebec to practice the language. That experience opened my eyes to a world beyond my own community and is something I have never forgotten. If I started naming all of the teachers who impacted me, this reflection would fill pages.”
In many ways, Gross is now providing her students with the same kind of experiences she remembers so vividly from her own education. A French teacher took her to Quebec, giving her a glimpse of a world beyond her own community. Today, Gross creates those same kinds of experiences for her students—only now through mathematics, project-based learning and connections with professionals in the community.
Gross earned her bachelor's degree from Cumberland College in 2003 and her master's degree in 2004. The institution is now the University of the Cumberlands.
Gross is the daughter of Faith Helton and the late Sidney Helton and continues to have a large extended family in Harlan County.
She is highly regarded across Kentucky—and increasingly on the national stage—for her leadership in project-based learning and community-connected middle school education.
She didn't forget the people who poured into her—and now she's pouring into another generation of students.
Gross consistently shares her Harlan County roots as part of her identity and speaks with appreciation for Spencer County, Harlan County, where she grew up, and Middlesboro, where she got her roots and began her teaching career.
A central theme of Gross' message is that education is a community endeavor. When a community wraps itself around its schools, she said, both the schools and the community thrive.
“Now, as I find myself in the second half of my journey as the 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, I have had the incredible opportunity to speak to educators across Kentucky and advocate for vibrant learning experiences in the classroom,” said Gross. “Everywhere I go, I proudly share my Harlan County roots. I am truly blessed to have grown up in Wallins and to have attended Harlan County Public Schools. The teachers, schools, and community that poured into me helped shape the educator (and the person) I am today. I am better because of the community that believed in me, invested in me, and gave me experiences that extended far beyond the walls of the classroom.”
Gross has become widely recognized for her work in project-based learning and community-connected education. In her mathematics classroom, students don't simply solve equations on paper. Through her Dream House Project, they design homes, create plans and models, calculate costs and materials, and interact with professionals including architects, contractors, designers, plumbers and electricians.
The lesson extends far beyond mathematics. Students begin to see themselves as future homeowners, professionals and problem-solvers. Her approach combines project-based learning, authentic experiences, community-connected education and a commitment to helping students see themselves in their futures.
Gross said she believes that when students see real-world connections to what they are learning, they begin to envision their futures and see themselves in possibilities they may not have previously considered.
Gross shared advice to those interested in entering the teaching profession.
“If you are interested in becoming a teacher, find teachers who inspire you and pay attention to what makes them special,” she said. “Ask questions. Get involved. Look for opportunities to work with younger students, volunteer, or simply spend time learning from the educators around you.”
“Teaching is so much more than delivering a lesson; it is about building relationships, creating opportunities, and helping young people see possibilities for themselves.,” she noted.
Gross encouraged prospective teachers not to be afraid to ask for help along the way.
“Ask those teachers who inspire you to help you find scholarship opportunities and to write letters of recommendation for you. It brings me so much joy when a former student asks me to write a letter of recommendation for them. It is an honor to be part of their journey and to see where their dreams take them,” she said.
“Be willing to work hard, be willing to learn, and be willing to say yes to opportunities that push you outside of your comfort zone. Teaching can be a challenging profession, but I promise you, it is so worth it. It is worth it when you see those ‘aha’ or ‘lightbulb’ moments on a student's face. It is worth it when, years down the road, you hear from a former student who says that you made a difference in their life. It is so worth it.”
With all of her recent experiences and recognitions, Gross noted that “if you become a teacher, never forget what it felt like to be a student. Give your students the kind of vibrant learning experiences that make them curious, help them discover their potential, and stay with them long after they leave your classroom. You never know, you may be the teacher who changes the trajectory of a student's life.”
She offered encouragement to let teachers know if they had an impact on your life.
“And now, take five minutes and reach out to a teacher who made a difference in your life. Send a message. Write an email. Make a phone call. I guarantee those few minutes of your time will brighten their day, and remind them why they chose this profession in the first place.”
Here is a link to a video of Gross in action with her students: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3267304086762079
For Harlan County Public Schools, Gross' story is more than a source of pride. It is a reminder of the lasting influence educators can have on a student's life—and of the possibilities that can emerge when a community believes in its young people.