VIP Teacher Spotlight: Adara Hammer

Story by Amelia Bowen

Adara Hammer is entering her 17th year in education and her fifth at Alvaton Elementary School, where she is taking on a new role teaching sixth grade reading after four years in the sixth grade math classroom. A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, Adara also earned her master’s as a Literacy Specialist from Georgetown College and Rank I in Administration from Western Kentucky University. Before making Bowling Green home, Adara spent the first 12 years of her career teaching in the Lexington area. Throughout her time in education, she has remained committed to growing as an educator and finding new ways to serve her students and school community. In 2025, she was nominated for Kentucky Teacher of the Year and previously served on her school’s SBDM Council after being elected by her fellow teachers. For Adara, some of the most meaningful parts of teaching extend well beyond the classroom. She loves reconnecting with former students and seeing where life has taken them. “It’s pretty special knowing that even though they were only in my classroom for a short time, those relationships can last for years,” she says. Outside of school, Adara volunteers with the Children’s Ministry Welcome Team at Living Hope Baptist Church and enjoys spending time with her husband, Josh, their daughter, Elodie and their three cats.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A CAREER IN EDUCATION?

My dad was a teacher at Hart County High School, so I grew up spending a lot of time there with him and going to sporting events. I even used to take his old materials home and play school. He was really well liked, and I remember former students stopping him when we were out just to say hello and catch up. I saw how much that meant to him. I think growing up watching him and seeing the connections he made with his students is what made teaching feel like a natural choice for me.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB?

The most rewarding part is seeing kids really learn and understand what we’re doing, not just memorize something for a test. I love helping them make connections to the real world and see how they can actually use what they’re learning. When you see that moment when it finally clicks for them, that’s hard to beat.