Heidi Allison, principal of Barnardsville Elementary School in Buncombe County, and Miranda Wheeler, math teacher at Cane River Middle School in Yancey County, are the 2012 recipients of the Mars Hill College Educational Alumni Leadership Awards. The awards were presented at a banquet on October 27 on the campus of Mars Hill College.

Educational Alumni Leadership Awards are presented to one teacher and one principal annually who are alumni of Mars Hill College. Recipients are chosen by the faculty of the Mars Hill College Education Department based on outstanding service and professional excellence.

Heidi Allison received her BA in elementary education from Mars Hill College in 2001 and her Master of School Administration from Western Carolina University in 2006. Other than a brief stint at Hot Springs Elementary, she has spent her entire educational career in Buncombe County Schools, first as a teacher at North Buncombe Elementary, then as assistant principal at Haw Creek and Hominy Valley elementary schools, before returning to the North Buncombe district in 2010 as principal of Barnardsville Elementary. She is active in the Buncombe County School Principals and Assistant Principals Association, including holding the post of secretary.
She and her husband Shane (also an alumnus of MHC), have two children and are members of Enon Baptist Church in Marshall.

Miranda Wheeler received her BA in Middle Grades Education from Mars Hill College in 2002 and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Executive Leadership at Gardner-Webb University. She is a National Board Certified Teacher at Cane River Middle School in Yancey County, and was named Yancey County Teacher of the Year for 2009-10.

Miranda and her husband Scott, have two children and live in Weaverville. They are active members of Flat Creek Baptist Church. Miranda is also the daughter of Rachel McMahan, who is a member of the Mars Hill College Facilities staff.

Mars Hill College is a private, liberal arts institution offering over 30 baccalaureate degrees and one graduate degree in elementary education. Founded in 1856 by Baptist families of the region, the campus is located just 20 minutes north of Asheville in the mountains of western North Carolina.www.mhc.edu 1-866-MHC-4-YOU.