Whitney Lunceford 
At BA since 2009
Kindergarten, Cheerleading Coach
Whitney Stewart Lunceford graduated from Pleasant Grove High School in 2005. After high school she attended The University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2010, she graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education. Mrs. Lunceford was also a UAB cheerleader for three years. After college she began student teaching at Bessemer Academy with Mrs. Smith. She is now the Kindergarten teacher at Bessemer Academy and the Varsity cheerleading coach. When asked what she liked most about Bessemer Academy she answered, “I love the smallness of the school and the family, Christian environment.”
During the summer Mrs. Lunceford was a part of the Universal Cheerleading Association for 5 years where she was an instructor. She loves her UAB Blazers. Her favorite color is red, and her favorite baseball team is the New York Yankees. Mrs. Lunceford loves her job and could not imagine teaching anywhere else. Mrs. Lunceford married Kyle Lunceford in March of 2017.
Wendy Price
1st Grade
Wendy Price graduated from Bessemer Academy in 1989. After high school she attended the University of Montevallo. She graduated in 1992 and received a Bachelor degree in Science and Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Mrs. Price has been teaching at Bessemer Academy for 20 years. She is currently the first grade teacher but has also taught kindergarten and fifth through sixth grade. The answer Mrs. Price gave when asked why she enjoyed teaching at Bessemer Academy was, “I love the family atmosphere.” Also, Mrs. Price has three children who attend Bessemer Academy. Her favorite football team is Alabama and her favorite color is pink. She loves all her students and could not imagine teaching anywhere else.
Amy Smith
K-5
Amy Smith is the second grade teacher at Bessemer Academy, as well as an alumni. After high school, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She returned to her home at Bessemer Academy in 1995, and has been teaching here ever since. Her hobbies include reading, watching old movies, and spending time with her daughter, Josie (7th grade) Smith’s favorite aspect about Bessemer Academy is the home environment and how everyone is family.
Rachel Allinder
2nd grade
Rachel Kitchens Allinder graduated from Grant County High School in High Ridge, KY in 2010. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in December 2016. After filling a long-term substitute position, Mrs. Allinder began teaching second grade at BA. From her experience as a teacher’s assistant, she has learned patience and feels as if it is a very important virtue when working with young children. Mrs. Allinder says that she does not always color inside the lines and believes that not everything can be learned from a textbook. In her spare time, Rachel enjoys participating in her church’s volleyball and softball leagues. She also serves as assistant coach for Volleyball and Softball here at BA. Her favorite bible verse is John 3:16 which reads “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Paula Reaves
At BA since 2001
4th Grade
Paula Reaves is the 4th grade teacher at Bessemer Academy. She graduated from Bessemer Academy where she was Flag Corp Captain, Dance Team Co-Captain and Co-Editor of the yearbook. Mrs. Reaves graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. in Merchandising and from UAB with a B.S. in Elementary Education. Mrs. Reaves has been married for 34 years and has a son named Nicholas. Her favorite thing about Bessemer Academy is the family atmosphere. Her favorite Bible verse is “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)
Donna Eaton
5th Grade
Mrs. Eaton graduated from the University of Montevallo in 1991 with a BS in Early Childhood/ Elementary. She has taught K-3 to 8th grade in the past 22 years. Mrs. Eaton has been married to her husband, David, for 27 years. They have two children, Casey age 22 and Josh age 18. They live in Pleasant Grove and attend First Baptist Church of Pleasant Grove.
Keith McCroskey
3rd grade
Mr. Keith McCroskey is one of our elementary teachers at Bessemer Academy. He teaches third grade. He attended UAB where he graduated from twice. He has one son, Cameron, who is also attending collge at UAB. He says that he loves to see the word of God spread throughout the school.
Mary Beth Hester
1st Grade
Miss Mary Beth Hester is one of our elementary school teachers at Bessemer Academy. She graduated from Jacksonville State where she got a degree in Elementary Education. She has been teaching for four years. She enjoys playing the flute and painting.
