Latest news with #ExcellenceinTeachingAward
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Landis Elementary teacher wins Billman Excellence in Teaching Award
As a bilingual graduate from the Logansport Community School Corporation, Karina Mejia is now giving students opportunities she never had as part of the Dual Language Immersion Program at Landis Elementary. 'We only had languages from our freshman year to senior year and now they can start at a younger age,' Mejia told the Pharos-Tribune in 2022. 'They are becoming more affluent in the language, too.' For her passion and hard work, the Cass County Community Foundation on Wednesday announced Mejia as the 2025 recipient of the Elizabeth A. Billman Excellence in Teaching Award during the end of school year awards at Landis. Deanna Crispen, CCCF president & CEO, and Luke Gangloff, CCCF chairman, made the announcement and commended Mejia for her dedication to her students and their families, ability to create an equitable learning environment and her passion for teaching and community. 'Elizabeth Billman was an educator, administrator, mentor and role model for young women and teachers,' Crispen said. 'When we thought about ways to honor her legacy, this award, to encourage teachers early in their careers, was the result and we know Liz would be proud we are continuing her legacy through the award.' Mejia, who teaches the second-grade Spanish portion of the Dual Language program, was nominated by her assistant principal, Ashley Gangloff. 'Karina forms genuine connections with her students, taking time to understand their backgrounds, their families, and what inspirers them to learn,' Gangloff said in her nomination. 'She creates a warm and welcoming classroom where all students feel valued and supported.' Mejia just completed her fourth year as an educator at Landis. She is the fifth recipient of the award. The Excellence in Teaching Award was established in 2021 to honor the long legacy of Billman, who served on the Board of Directors of the Cass County Community Foundation for 16 years, including two terms as chairman of the board of directors and was on the board of directors at the time of her passing. Billman retired as principal at Thompson Elementary School, now known as Lewis Cass Elementary. She also taught in the Southeastern School Corporation, beginning her teaching career at Washington Township School. She was a member of the Lewis Cass Alumni Association where she received the Distinguished Service Award. In total, she served in the Southeastern School Corporation for 38 years. Mejia was selected for the award from a pool of nominees — submitted by elementary building principals of kindergarten through sixth grade from all county schools — who most exemplify Billman's commitment to the students. The award consists of a $500 stipend for the teacher for their classroom and a commemorative plaque. A permanent plaque is on display at the CCCF office to honor each year's recipient.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Physical education teacher who inspires her students is Wake's top educator
An elementary school teacher who inspires her students to be physically active has been named the top educator in Wake County. Macy Brinson, the physical education teacher at Kingswood Elementary School in Cary, was named the 2025 Wake County Teacher of the Year at a ceremony Thursday night. Brinson has only been a teacher for six years, but she's already being recognized for her leadership skills and ability to motivate her students. 'Macy is so dedicated to her program and her students and takes great pride and ownership in all the tasks she undertakes,' Sherry Schliesser, the principal of Kingswood, said in a news release. 'She delivers high quality and relevant instruction for each grade level every day of the school year. She also knows all the students by name and is often seen having conversations with students around the building.' Brinson, who is from Emerald Isle, was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow Scholar, a program that helps pay the college costs for students who agree to become teachers. She got a bachelor's degree in exercise sports science at Meredith College and a master's degree in kinesiology from the University of North Georgia. During her acceptance speech, Brinson credited her mother as being her role model. Brinson said her mother, who teaches second grade, has been a teacher for 32 years. 'Over 32 years of teaching, you can imagine that I spent a considerable amount of time in her classroom,' Brinson said. 'She made me wait until the end of her classes. I would pretend to be the teacher. But I wouldn't just pretend to be any teacher. I would pretend to be her.' Brinson has taught for the last four years at Kingswood, where she received an Excellence in Teaching Award in 2023 from the Cary Chamber of Commerce. 'Within each lesson, I empower the students to have a voice and choice in their learning by allowing them to select from a variety of equipment options and by not imposing a single way to perform a skill,' Brinson wrote in her Teacher of the Year portfolio. 'This empowerment in their learning journey helps students discover their strengths, talents, and weaknesses and assess what materials or techniques will lead to their success.' Wake said Brinson's approach is aligned with Kingswood's Montessori magnet theme, which emphasizes the importance of student choice in education. In addition to teaching, Brinson leads a running club for students in the fall and spring, which culminates in students and parents running a 5K race to benefit a community organization. She also organizes the school's annual Walk to School day to promote safety and family engagement, as well as the school's annual Kids Heart Challenge campaign to support the American Heart Association. Brinson was also recognized as being a champion for learners with special needs. She travels with her students to cheer them on as they compete in the Special Olympics each year. 'Macy crafts lessons that are not only engaging, but also thoughtfully adapted to meet the needs of all my learners,' Kim Eason, a special education teacher at Kingswood, said in a news release. 'She fosters a supportive and close environment where all students are encouraged to participate. 'Her dedication to making sure no child is left behind combined with her ability to bring out the potential in each student exemplifies what it means to be a truly exceptional teacher.' Brinson said she will use her new platform as Teacher of the Year to advocate for teacher recruitment and retention by supporting professional development and promoting respect for the profession. 'When we invest in teachers, we invest in every teacher that they touch,' Brinson told the crowd of fellow educators at the award ceremony. Brinson gave her colleagues some advice before they return to their classrooms on Friday. She said they need to find time to take care of themselves. 'We pour our energy, our creativity, passion, and, most importantly, our heart, into our students every single day,' Brinson said. 'But the truth is that you can't work from an empty cup. I learned over the past two years that taking time for yourself is not selfish, it's necessary.' Brinson was chosen among the Teacher of the Year winners for each individual school. The list was whittled to 10 finalists: ▪ Maureen Bard, a third-grade teacher at Lead Mine Elementary in Raleigh ▪ Brandy Garrett, a third-grade teacher at Millbrook Elementary in Raleigh ▪ Lauri Gasell, a seventh-grade math teacher at Davis Drive Middle in Cary ▪ Trevor Harris, a sixth-grade science teacher at North Garner Middle ▪ Rebekah Hower, an art teacher at Oberlin Middle in Raleigh ▪ Laurie Newhouse, a second-grade teacher at Woods Creek Elementary in Apex ▪ Ashley Parmley, a seventh-grade math teacher at Mills Park Middle in Cary ▪ Matthew Raines, a theater arts teacher at Knightdale High ▪ Allison Tonelli, a special education cross categorical resource program teacher at Hunter Elementary in Raleigh Brinson's prize package includes a $1,000 check. Brinson also gets use of a 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, courtesy of Capital Chevrolet, for the next year. Brinson will go on to compete in North Carolina's Teacher of the Year program
