Henrico's Top Teachers of 2025

May 30, 2025

Hi all, I hope everyone is doing well amidst the water situation! The county is distributing free bottled water until 8 p.m. today (at 1400 Best Plaza).

Each year, we profile 20 different teachers in Henrico and spotlight their stories and all they do for their students. We had so many nominations this year, but we do limit the honorees to no more than one from each school, so there are many other teachers we unfortunately couldn’t include this year. But I’m so grateful to shine a light on these amazing 20 teachers who go the extra mile each and every day!

Henrico Top Teachers - 2025

Welcome to the 13th edition of the Henrico Citizen’s Henrico’s Top Teachers section, highlighting the work and efforts of 20 outstanding teachers in Henrico County.

We began this section in 2011 and have now profiled 260 Henrico teachers – each one with a story as unique, impressive and meaningful as the teachers themselves.

First impressions matter. As a high school teacher and football coach, Keylon Mayo knows this well.

Every time Mayo passes a student in the hallway, whether he knows them or not, he always says hello and sometimes offers up a fist bump.

Mayo is also well known in Highland Springs High School for a running joke he has with the students. When Mayo walks past a student, he’ll say, “Excuse me, you dropped something on the ground,” and while they’re frantically looking around to see what they dropped, he’ll go, “Psych!”

Jordyn Satterfield was always a good student. Throughout her time at Deep Run High School, she succeeded academically – even at math, towards which she never had a real affinity.

But it was different when it came to chorus. For Satterfield, chorus class was like a sanctuary, an oasis from all of the pressure, stress and drama of high school, where she could just focus on what she loved: the music.

There are rainbows in space.

Well, sort of – these phenomena are reflected sunlight from interplanetary dust around the sun. Robin Davia is familiar with this as a former aerospace engineering major who even once worked at NASA.

Now, Davia teaches preschoolers in the “Rainbow Room” at Canterbury Nursery School. It was an unexpected career switch, but when her own children started out at Canterbury, Davia’s wonder and fascination for space shifted to a captivation with how children learn.

Years ago, Kelly Horne taught a fifth-grader who still couldn’t read. Now, he is a nurse. Horne also taught a first-grader who was significantly struggling. Now, she has a guaranteed teaching position in Henrico after winning the prestigious Teacher Scholar award.

For Horne, an exceptional education teacher at Varina Elementary for the past 22 years, these success stories are testaments to her belief that every child can succeed as long as they are given the proper attention, support, and love.

First grade teacher Kiara Samuels makes it a goal to show up for every single one of her students outside of school, whether it is at a birthday party, a soccer game, a piano recital, a baptism, or a family dinner. Samuels even comes to students’ houses to read them bedtime stories.

“At the beginning of the year, I tell all of my parents at open house, if your kid has any games, any family events – invite me. I will come,” Samuels said. “I try to visit at least every kid once outside of school just so they can see, I’m not just your teacher, but I’m somebody who cares about you outside of school.”

More teacher profiles are spotlighted in our Top Teachers issue — check them out!!