As a couple, Seth and Samantha Harris celebrate a lot of things together.
However, they weren’t expecting that this year their peers would choose them each as De Soto School District employees of the year.
Earlier this month, Seth, a middle school choir teacher, was recognized as the 2025-2026 De Soto School District Teacher of the Year and Samantha, an administrative assistant in the middle school principal’s office, as the district’s Support Staff Member of the Year.
To be eligible for the distinction, each was nominated earlier in the school year by staff or community members for the middle school’s quarterly Employee Spotlight. From there, their peers at the middle school voted in February to determine who would be the building’s Teacher of the Year and the Support Staff Member of the Year.
“I remember we were in fifth hour, and it was during our quiet time where students were sitting there taking some of their tests before lunch,” Seth said. “All of a sudden, my wife runs into the room, and she says, ‘What’s wrong?’ It’s silent in my room. I was like, ‘What are you talking about? We’re sitting here working.’ She said (Principal Zeb) Hammond said I had to rush down to your room to help with something.’”
At that moment, Hammond appeared behind Samantha and directed the entire classroom to the cafeteria.
“He’s like, ‘I have a special announcement,’ and he went on to say that Sam and I had both won (the building’s) Support Staff Member of the Year and Teacher of the Year,” Seth said.
They were both surprised again with the district awards.
“And then the other day, Hammond and the rest of Central Office popped into the cafeteria again,” Seth said. “They had all these snacks and flowers and things like that for Sam and I. They announced us as Teacher of the Year and Support Staff Member of the Year for the district.
“It was definitely humbling and cool – just the fact that I got to do that with my wife simultaneously. It was a ‘head above the clouds’ kind of thing and nice to know I definitely chose my partner well.”
To get the two in the same room at the same time without them being suspicious, Hammond told Samantha that Seth won De Soto Teacher of the Year.
“I thought (Seth) was just getting it, and then they said my name,” Samantha said. “It was just cool to get to do it together. It was a cool feeling. I feel like some people were like, ‘That got rigged.’ But it was two different committees so there was no way that it could have been rigged at all.”
The middle school administrators are proud of the accomplishment.
“It’s been a great year for the middle school,” Hammond said. “We’ve had Support Staff of the Year, Teacher of the Year. We had Middle School Counselor for Jefferson County, (Beth) Kitchell.”
Assistant Principal Nick Stearns said, “They make the administration look good.”
Superintendent Ron Farrow said the district is incredibly proud of the Harrises and grateful for the impact they have on students and staff.
“Seth and Samantha Harris represent the very best of De Soto,” he said. “At the heart of both of their work is an authentic commitment to relationships – meeting students where they are, building trust and creating environments where everyone feels valued and supported.
“Seth has done an outstanding job growing our choir program over the past several years, not only in numbers but in the level of performance and pride our students take in being part of it. At the same time, Samantha is often the first face students and families see at our middle school, and her positive, steady presence sets the tone for the entire building. She supports our staff and students with a level of care and professionalism that makes a difference every single day. Together, they exemplify what it means to serve students with heart, passion and purpose.”
It is clear that each of the Harrises is extremely proud of the other.
“Her nickname is Lady Principal,” Seth said. “She, in my opinion, is like the glue that holds the building in the way that it needs to run. She goes out of her way to help the kids who need help. She seeks out the kids who need that extra attention and keeps them accountable, makes sure they know that they’re cared for. She goes so far above and beyond, it’s crazy.”
The two started working at De Soto Middle School the same year.
Seth has been a teacher for five years – four at De Soto Middle School.
“This is my hometown,” said Seth, a 2014 De Soto graduate. “Obviously I was a choir/band kid, all of those things going through school.”
Seth realized he wanted to be a choir teacher when he was performing as a high school freshman with the all-district choir. He also grew up seeing the impact his mother, Suzanne Harris, made on choir students at De Soto High School as choir director there.
“Music meant everything to me going through school,” he said. “So when I heard that (a choir teacher) position had opened up (at De Soto Middle School), I had to go for it, and I got hired. The first year, I was like this is 1,000 percent where I’m supposed to be. Other schools are good and all, but I just knew this is where I wanted to be for sure.”
When Seth started, the choir program had six students in men’s glee and 30 students in women’s glee. The program has grown to 30 students in men’s glee and 67 students in women’s glee.
Currently, he teaches choir and general music classes. Next year, he will take on a new role since his mother is retiring.
“Next year, they are going to have me teaching choir all day,” Seth said. “I will teach the three choir classes up at the high school and then come back here to the middle school and teach the choirs here, as well.”
Samantha, a 2013 Seckman graduate, said she saw a job opening at the middle school and decided to try for it.
“I love it here,” she said. “I love that I get to work with (Seth), and I love the relationships that I’ve gotten to build with the students. It wasn’t something I was even expecting, especially being in the office dealing with parents mostly. A lot of them come in and visit, and one student gave me a hug today. It’s rewarding.”
Seth and Samantha Harris met in 2014 at Jefferson College. They were friends for five years before they started dating.
“We started dating back in 2019,” he said. “We got married in 2021. Living my life with her has been great.”
Other building recognitions include: Early Childhood Center Teacher of the Year Kim Graham and Support Staff Member of the Year Sandy Eakins; Athena Elementary Teacher of the Year Kelli Hardin and Support Staff Member of the Year Gary Mullins; Vineland Elementary, Teacher of the Year Billie Borella and Support Staff Member of the Year Laura Poirier; De Soto Senior High School Teacher of the Year Lucinda Hudson-Pagano and Support Staff Member of the Year Heather Woelich; and district office Support Staff Members of the Year Jennifer Hunt and Debbie Hedger.