A seventh-grade social studies teacher at Douglas Byrd Middle School (Cumberland County Schools), Manzell Spencer Jr. is one of nine finalists for the 2026 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year, which will be announced at a ceremony on April 24. Ahead of the event, we are sharing the finalists’ stories so the public can get to know these extraordinary individuals and learn about their contributions to North Carolina public schools.
Whether in history class, on the football field or out in his community, Manzell Spencer has a singular focus: helping students find where they belong.
Knowing that they need to know why the content matters before they care about the facts, Spencer focuses on building relationships with students before delivering content.
“Whether it is a conversation after a game, a quick check-in at a store or a message home to celebrate a small win, I make it clear that school is not just a place where students go, it is a place where they are seen,” Spencer said. “One student once told me, ‘Coach, it is like you see something in me I didn't even know was there.’”
Inspired by the work he does in the community in the summer months, Spencer has launched a school-based mentorship program for boys that provides a space for growth, reflection and positive identity-building.
He is also a member of the school improvement team, chair of the Student Engagement Correlate and head football coach.
“As superintendent of Cumberland County Schools, I have witnessed the impact of many outstanding educators, and Mr. Spencer stands among the very finest,” Dr. Eric Bracy wrote in a letter of recommendation supporting Spencer’s Teacher of the Year application. “His consistent presence, both in the school building and in the community, demonstrates his commitment to building confident, engaged citizens.”
Charged with growing the school’s football program as part of a schoolwide plan to boost engagement, Spencer put his connection-building skills to use, recruiting students who didn’t see themselves as athletes or who were disconnected from school life.
By helping these students find a place to belong, they have developed discipline, confidence and – with close monitoring from their coach – a focus on their classroom performance.
Spencer has worked with the school’s other coaches to share this mentality across the student body, building a school culture that is about much more than athletics.
“Students are more visible, more involved and more accountable. The collaboration between coaches and teachers is stronger. And there is a growing sense that we are building something, even if we are still early in the process,” Spencer said. “I do not want my impact to be limited to one room, one season or one roster. I want to leave something behind that benefits students who have not even walked through our doors yet.”
Despite his numerous extracurricular responsibilities, Spencer remains focused on his primary directive of planning and delivering rigorous and engaging instruction, said Dr. Christina DiGaudio, principal of Douglas Byrd Middle School.
“As a classroom teacher, Mr. Spencer is the epitome of a classroom facilitator. He does the bulk of the ‘work’ behind the scenes, creating lessons that require students to do the heavy lifting, talking, rationalizing and work,” DiGaudio wrote in a letter of recommendation. “His lessons are meticulously planned, down to the minute, with all materials ready to go before the class even begins. I cannot recall a time when I walked into his classroom and students were not working in partner/table groups, discussing how to solve problems, using high-yield instructional strategies or completing a reading or writing task. In Mr. Spencer's room, learning as an active member of the classroom community is not an option.”