Local teacher appears on ‘Jennifer Hudson Show,’ surprised with 100 gifts

JACKSON, Tenn. — One teacher makes a TV debut, and she’s from right here in West Tennessee.

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” Episode 3061, Season 3 Photo credit: Chris Haston/WBTV

Jennifer Hudson welcomed Tennessee’s Early Educator of the Year Jamaica Kirby from Brownsville to her show on Wednesday.

Jamaica told Jennifer about her job as a Pre-K teacher at Arlington Elementary in Jackson, a Title 1 school.

She shared that her priority is to make her students feel safe and loved in her classroom.

Kirby says that growing up, she was a quiet student who never raised her hand and often felt overlooked — so her goal is to give every student a voice to help them reach their full potential.

And when Jamaica told Jennifer that she is fundraising for Christmas gifts for her students, Jennifer surprised her with 100 toys courtesy of Hasbro!

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