“It is always exciting to be able to recognize, honor, and hear from four outstanding teachers/educators,” said Eddie Leventhal, Excellence in Teaching chairperson. “Each recipient does a great job of showing our community some of the great teaching and learning that is taking place in our Clark County schools each and every day.”
Nicole Adams, who is in her 28th year of teaching, is an early childhood education teacher at the Clark Early Learning Center in the Springfield City School District.
“The purpose I felt to become a teacher was I never realized the impact I could have on someone’s life coming from a very small rural community. Being placed in an inner-city school, I was faced with seeing the need and the impact I could have on children’s lives,” Adams said. “I love the opportunity to be part of the foundation of the Springfield City Schools as we are the first interaction the children and families have. This is our opportunity to ignite a love for education and also help give parents a better and more positive experience than they may have received themselves.”
Caitlin Smith, nominator and principal at the Clark Early Learning Center, wrote that Adams is one of the most skilled, dedicated, generous and caring teachers she’s worked with.
“Her dedication to teaching expands to just beyond helping students to learn new skills and enables her to generally change the lives of her students for the better,” Smith said.
Annette Lloyd, who is in her 31st year of teaching, teaches seventh grade history in the Clark-Shawnee Local School District.
“I feel an enormous responsibility to be the best teacher I can be for my students. When I say teacher though, I mean more than just an instructor. I want to make learning engaging and interesting for students, but I also want them to feel safe and supported,“ Lloyd said. ”The most rewarding part of teaching is when I see former students years later and they share fond memories of having me as their teacher.”
Former teacher Terry Janssen nominated Lloyd.. “What stays with me in observing this teacher for many years is her unwavering humility in all she has accomplished,” Janssen said. “Her humility is apparent when someone notices something she has done that stands out as something special. She just smiles knowing that she was doing what she felt needed to be done. It is that instinct that separates a rookie teacher from a veteran and she is truly a natural.”
Linda Orwick, who is in her 43rd year of teaching, teaches kindergarten at Kenwood Elementary School in the Springfield City School District. She said this is the most meaningful reward she’s received from teaching.
“Kindergarten is the opportunity to build personal and long-lasting relationships with students and their families. As my kids bring their kids to kindergarten, I continue to feel joy and appreciation for the trust they placed in me to provide their own children with a promising year of learning and discovery. These multi-generational relationships are a priceless treasure,” she said.
Nominator Dee Copeland, a fourth grade teacher at Kenwood, wrote that she’s known Orwick as a mentor, colleague and teacher.
“In each role, Linda has exhibited excellence in a manner that I strive to emulate on a daily basis ... When I googled the definition of excellence, the following result emerged: greatness, the very best. These are the perfect words to describe Orwick as a teacher and as a person. She truly is the greatest and the very best.”
Robyn Wheeler, who is in her 20th year of teaching, is an intervention specialist at Hayward Middle School in Springfield. She said teachers often enter the profession to make a difference in students’ lives, but it was the opposite for her.
“I found teaching to be rewarding because of the impact my students have had on me,” Wheeler said. “The joy I feel when a student experiences an ‘a-ha’ moment is unmatched. It’s a reward only a teacher can understand. (I) live for those moments ... While I help them overcome academic challenges, my students have shown me the power of perseverance and never giving up.”
Wheeler’s nominator, Natalie Seever, called her a role model for other educators, writing, “Wheeler has dedicated herself to ensuring that all students with disabilities feel supported and that through her tireless efforts, she promotes an inclusive environment that fosters both academic and personal growth for her students.”
Each recipient gave a short presentation on what teaching has meant to them and the importance of being a teacher. The teachers received a $1,250 check, a plaque, an engraved paperweight and proclamations from the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate.
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