One of the highest forms of praise a teacher can receive is from his or her students. You know you’re doing something right when your students are not only reaching high standards in your class, but also genuinely enjoying the work.
Shelly Huver, 6th grade science and social studies teacher at Rock Quarry Middle School, was awarded the Alabama Middle School Science Teacher of the Year for doing many things right, according to her students.
(Pictured in the center with daughters, Samantha and Gracie.)
“I have three reasons why this is my opinion,” Anna B., one of her students, wrote. “First, we do hands-on experiments and digital activities; second, we are doing the Young Scientist Challenge … We each picked ten things in the world that we thought needed to be solved or improved. I think this is cool. Lastly, Ms. Huver doesn’t tell us how to do our projects. She says that we can do any type of product for our reports and projects, as long as we get the work done and meet the standards of the assignment. I think it is cool that we get to have this freedom of choosing what we want to do.”
As a National Board Certified Teacher, Ms. Huver has been teaching science and social studies since 2001 in Tuscaloosa City. She is a state trainer for AMSTI (Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative), GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), and A+ College Ready. She also helps write the state curriculum for pre-Advanced Placement courses for science and social studies.
“She’s an amazingly hard worker, and she loves every moment of the work,” said Dale Fleury, Social Studies Content Director for A+ College Ready. “Her experience in the classroom integrating science with social studies makes her an incredible resource in building model courses for middle school classrooms throughout the state. She has been a great asset to our teacher training development.”
The Alabama Science Teacher of the Year award was presented to Ms. Huver during the Alabama Science Teachers Association’s annual training conference in February. Her colleagues from around the state, including others involved with the A+ College Ready program, were in attendance along with her family.
“I can’t wait to have her for science next year,” said her daughter, Gracie. Inspired by her mother’s love of science, Gracie plans to be a marine biologist. “I also plan on running for president one day.”
Kristina Kilgallen of Hale County High School, Danette Tawbush of Cleveland High School and Jennifer Priest of Susan Moore Elementary School, both in Blount County, were also award winners at the ASTA ceremony.
(Pictured left to right: Jennifer Priest, Shelly Huver and Danette Tawbush. Kristina Kilgallen not pictured.)
Kristina Kilgallen received the Fanny Mae Teacher of Promise award, recognizing her enthusiasm and commitment to engaging all of her students in a high-quality science learning experience. Only in her third year of teaching, Ms. Kilgallen teaches over 200 students in Biology, Pre-Advanced Placement Biology, Botany and Physical Science. “The love she has for her job is contagious! … The way she has seamlessly become the first pre-AP teacher in the county’s history says more than enough.” (Combined comments from letters written by Zac Tinker, Hale County High School Social Science teacher, and Madelene Loftin, Education Development Lead for the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.)
Danette Tawbush received the High School Science Teacher of the Year award. Cleveland High School principal Denise Martin wrote in her recommendation letter, “Ms. Tawbush is an intelligent person full of compassion, joy and character. Last year, Ms. Tawbush was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite rigorous treatments, she missed very few days and used her medical crisis as a teachable moment. She incorporated the struggles her body was experience into her biology lessons making them more meaningful.”
Jennifer Priest, the STEM lab teacher for grades K-6 at Susan Moore Elementary in Blount County, received the Elementary Science Teacher of the Year award. “She is one of those teachers that takes students from their current level of performance and helps them move beyond their own highest expectations,” wrote the school’s curriculum coordinator, Mitchie Neel. “Each year, an academic summer camp is planned and directed by her, integrating math, science and engineering experiences that students love.”
(Nomination content edited in this article for space.)
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