Black Teacher Appreciation Day – Meet the Nominees (Part 16)
And our final group of nominees!!! Congratulations to everyone who was nominated as part of our Black Teacher Appreciation celebration!
Mr. Ashley Stewart, Jr.: "Ashley Stewart is truly inspiring. He is consistently cheerful, calm, creative, and encouraging. I am very thankful to call him a friend. He is thoughtful, funny, and has a positive impact not only on students, but on colleagues and adults as well. Ashley is a dedicated hard worker (at school, at church, in sports and photography) who always finds ways to express creativity and help others discover their own unique outlets. I feel very fortunate to have him as a friend."
Ms. Elizabeth Harris, New Castle, DE: "Watching my best friend navigate her classroom as an English teacher has shown me that storytelling is a powerful tool for empathy and inclusion. I am so thankful for her because she has inspired me to use language to bridge cultural gaps and ensure every voice feels heard and valued."
Ms. Amanda Saulsberry, Proviso, IL: "Ms. Saulsberry empowers students to find their voice and take pride in their thinking and writing. I am deeply thankful for the confidence, curiosity, and love of reading and writing she consistently cultivates in her students."
Ms. Connie McGirt, Pompano Beach, FL: "Ms. McGirt is a pillar of excellence and cultural stewardship, embodying the legacy and future of Black educators by cultivating critical consciousness, cultural pride, and academic excellence in every student she serves. Her impact extends far beyond instruction, as she shapes the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and community contributors through culturally rooted, empowering education."
Ms. Danielle English, Forest Park, IL: "Ms. English, a proud graduate of the school she now teaches in, is an outstanding science teacher who consistently fosters inquiry and curiosity in her classroom. Her presence as a graduate and educator shows students what is possible when inquiry and determination are valued."
Dr. Deitra T. Williams, Indianapolis, IN: "Dr. Williams is an excellent educator, so much so that she inspired me to become an educator."
And we have a group of teachers at Bronx Arts in New York who were nominated:
Ms. Davis, ELA Teacher: "Ms. Davis is an exemplary ELA teacher who uses the standards as a baseline and gets kids to see themselves as readers and writers--especially those who never felt like "ELA kids" in the past. Her teaching, passion, and warmth spread throughout the whole grade team and the entire school."
Ms. White, Social Studies: "Ms. White connected all of her students' learning to their lives and kids always internalized the significance of their learning on themselves, their communities, and the country as a whole. Kids in her class were imbued with civic duty, community-mindedness, and a firm appreciation for why things are the way they are and their power to change them for the better."
Ms. White, Dance Teacher: "Ms. White has incredibly high standards for her dancers that extend well beyond choreography and performance, influencing how her dancers attack academic subjects, sports, and how they conduct themselves. She builds a room full of leaders for whom good is never good enough."
Mr. Morris, Music Teacher: "Mr. Morris creates a space where kids come to see themselves as musicians and feel comfortable experimenting and taking risks while becoming proficient on their instruments. Kids who may struggle in their academic classes become completely different in his class and that effect ripples throughout the entire school."
