CULLMAN, Ala. — St. Paul’s Lutheran School recently announced that Linda Kress Self has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 IMPACT Award, which will be presented during the St. Paul’s Lutheran School Benefit Dinner & Auction on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Cotton Creek.
The award is inspired by 1 Peter 4:10–11: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”
The IMPACT Award recognizes individuals who have used their God-given gifts in service to others, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of students, families and the greater St. Paul’s community.
A lifelong supporter of Christian education, Kress Self began her educational journey at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in 1976, where she fondly remembers her kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Gloria Lovett and Mrs. Hermetz, and later beloved educators, including Hazel Heinze, Margie Burkhart, Martha Blanton and Norman Rehmer.
“Those memories will forever be a part of my heart,” she shared. “The friendships made there were for life. My sister and I will always consider Kristi Luhmann Ferdoussi as our sister because of the years we spent together at St. Paul’s School, church, youth, Sunday School and of course, VBS. There are songs we still reminisce about such as ‘Consider the Lilies,’ ‘Father Abraham,’ ‘Pass It On’ and singing ‘O Christmas Tree’ in German.”
After graduating from Cullman High School in 1989 and Auburn University in 1993, Kress Self felt God calling her back to St. Paul’s, not as a student, but as a teacher. She began teaching at the school in August 1994, mentored by some of the same teachers who had once guided her as a child.
“It was such an amazing experience to work with some of the teachers that you admired growing up and teaching you how to master the art of teaching,” she said. “I truly believe that my gift as a teacher started in elementary school by these women, and I cannot tell them enough how much I admire them and love them.”
Over the next 10 years, she taught both fifth and sixth grades, shaping young hearts and minds with the same dedication and love that had inspired her own faith and learning.
In 2004, Kress Self transitioned to Falkville Elementary School, where she has continued her 32-year teaching career with passion and excellence, serving in grades one, four, five and six. In 2023, she earned her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, a testament to her perseverance and lifelong love of learning.
“I tell my students about my struggles in obtaining my degree and how I never quit but always kept pushing forward to do better,” she said. “I not only did it for me, but for any future children I teach. Learning never stops! I love to try new things and prove that I can do them.”
Today, her legacy continues through a new generation, including her granddaughter, now a student at St. Paul’s.
“If we can continue to do what this school did for me,” Kress Self said, “then we will continue to be one of the greatest blessings in the lives of children and their families. From the education to the memories made, St. Paul’s Lutheran School will forever be the most special place for me, and I will continue to support, defend and fight to keep this school operating.”
St. Paul’s Lutheran School is honored to recognize Linda Kress Self for a lifetime of faithful service, Christian witness and dedication to education. Through her example, she embodies the very spirit of the IMPACT Award: to serve, teach and inspire others for the glory of God.
Event details
- St. Paul’s Lutheran School Benefit Dinner & Auction
- Date: Friday, April 18, 2026
- Location: Cotton Creek, Cullman, Alabama
- Tickets on sale: Feb. 1, 2026
- Follow for updates: https://www.facebook.com/StPaulsSchoolCullman
