Tennessee Education Lottery Educator of the Week: Amy Neilson
LEXINGTON, Tenn. -- Amy Neilson said, "when I leave and go home in the afternoon, normally I 'm smiling and I 'm laughing and I think about the fun things that we've done…
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LEXINGTON, Tenn. -- Amy Neilson said, "when I leave and go home in the afternoon, normally I 'm smiling and I 'm laughing and I think about the fun things that we've done…
JACKS CREEK, Tenn. -- "Throughout life I had always said, from a little girl, that I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher," said Carrie Cherry a kindergarten teacher at Jacks Creek Elementary School.…
JACKSON, Tenn. -- "I know it's a cliché, but you can feel like you make a difference," Teresa Nichols said. "That's the best part about it. You can feel like you make a difference." Nichols…
HUMBOLDT, Tenn. -- Nancy Sims is a 3rd grade teacher for East Elementary School in Humboldt, the same school she attended as a child. "I am actually a product of the Humboldt City School…
JACKSON, Tenn. -- Karen Morganti has been working in the classroom for almost 30 years. "I just love children. I've worked with them since I was in high school," said Morganti. "I…
CHESTER COUNTY, Tenn. -- "You know as a teacher you're making such a profound impact on so many student's lives," said Cathy Whitehead a 3rd grade teacher at West Chester Elementary…
ADAMSVILLE, Tenn. -- Wendy Bowers became a teacher a little later in life. She went back to school in her 30s to obtain her teaching license and says she did so to…
SAVANNAH, Tenn. -- Cathy Tyson is the choral director and drama teacher at Hardin County High School. "My day is typically full of the arts," Tyson said. "Drama and music all the way…
JACKSON, Tenn. -- Dr. Callie Dollar teaches middle school reading and language arts at the Montessori School at Bemis and says she's been an educator for about twelve years. "I love learning, I…
DECATUR COUNTY, Tenn. -- Sonya Stout teaches Spanish at Riverside High School and has been teaching for 17 years. "Sometimes it can be fun to learn and not always, you know, 'no, you…
GLEASON, Tenn. -- Amy Orr teaches reading and history at Gleason School — the first and only school she has been teaching at for 26 years. "I think that my responsibility goes beyond these…
HAYWOOD COUNTY, Tenn. -- Stacie Carlton teaches second grade at Haywood Elementary School. "I want parents to know that when they drop their kids off with me in the morning, I'm going to…
DYER, Tenn. -- Aimee Patton teaches 4th grade math and science at Dyer School in Gibson County, the same area where she grew up. "This is my stomping ground, I guess you could say,"…
LEXINGTON, Tenn. -- April Greenway teaches 3rd grade language arts at South Haven Elementary School and has been in education for eight years. "We're always doing activities that kind of interest…
JACKSON, Tenn. -- Amy Dickson is a kindergarten teacher at Arlington Elementary School and says she has always wanted to work with children. "I think I've just always been drawn to them…
HUNTINGDON, Tenn. -- This week's Educator of the Week presented by the Tennessee Education Lottery teaches pre-k at Huntingdon Primary School. Brooke Cooper says she was meant to be a teacher. "I have…
JACKSON, Tenn. -- "All of our children are smart, and I have to believe in it first before they'll believe in it," Tia Foster said. Her mentality while working with her 7th and…
JACKSON, Tenn. -- Brenda Johnson teaches second grade at Jackson Christian. She graduated from Dyersburg High School and then went on to Freed-Hardeman University and eventually graduated from the University of…
BELLS, Tenn. -- "It's a challenging job but a very fulfilling job," said Anita Kail. She is an English as a second language teacher at Bells Elementary School and says…
MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. -- Nikki Conger teaches 3rd grade at Denmark Elementary School and says she genuinely loves her job. "For them — [they] maybe not remember what I taught them, but they will always remember how I made them…
McKENZIE, Tenn. -- Beth Mathis is back in her old stomping ground teaching 8th grade math at McKenzie Middle School. "This is my first year to get to be back in my hometown where the teachers that taught me inspired…
MEDINA, Tenn. -- Michael Meals teaches 2nd grade at Medina Elementary School and has been an educator for six years. "I just like this age group. They're young, their impressionable and they are very engaged and just love learning," Meals…
MILAN, Tenn. -- "I love my seventh graders. They are absolutely wonderful children," said Ashely Seavers, a 7th grade science teacher at Milan Middle School. She said being a Sunday school teacher sparked her interest to become an educator. "I…
McNAIRY COUNTY, Tenn. -- Tyla Soto teaches 3rd grade reading, language arts and history at Selmer Elementary School, which is the same school she attended as a child. "Every morning I stand at my door and I just hug every…
TRENTON, Tenn. -- A West Tennessee teacher received a big honor this week. CaRae Sewell, one of WBBJ's Educator of the Week winners, now has the honor for a whole…
[gtxvideo vid="4p7ezcSZ" playlist="" pid="OTSe9U1y" thumb="http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/4p7ezcSZ.jpg" vtitle="Educator”] JACKSON, Tenn. -- Michelle York teaches 6th grade math at Northeast Middle School and ties technology into her lessons. "They all have laptops while they're in class, so I do as much with technology…
HUNTINGDON, Tenn. -- Penny Smith teaches art at Huntingdon High School. She says she knows her class may not come easily to everyone. "Lot of times when they take special for the first time, they're scared because they're like 'I…
[gtxvideo vid="kZ7QIOjH" playlist="" pid="OTSe9U1y" thumb="http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/kZ7QIOjH.jpg" vtitle="EOW PKG”] JACKSON, Tenn. -- Molene Murphy teaches 4th grade math at Jackson Career and Technology Elementary School and has been an educator for 16 years. This West Tennessee native grew up in Denmark and…
HENDERSON, Tenn. -- Lori Ulmer has been teaching for twelve years, and this is her third year teaching kindergarten at East Chester Elementary School. "I love teaching kindergarten because it's the beginning," Ulmer said. "I have taught other grades but…
HARDIN COUNTY, Tenn. -- Beth Stephens is a reading interventionist at East Hardin Elementary school. Stephens, a Hardin County native and UT Martin graduate, has been teaching since 2008. "I take out students that need extra help, and then I…
[gtxvideo vid="vAYC4ekS" playlist="" pid="OTSe9U1y" thumb="http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/vAYC4ekS.jpg" vtitle="EOW PKG”] CROCKETT COUNTY, Tenn. -- Latoya Henning teaches second grade at Maury City Elementary. “The little people are awesome," she said. “I love the little ones." Henning graduated from UT Martin and earned a…
[gtxvideo vid="kCATY6pf" playlist="" pid="OTSe9U1y" thumb="http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/kCATY6pf.jpg" vtitle="EOW”] MILAN, Tenn. -- Dana Ayers has been teaching special education and resource for 25 years. She said she uses positive reinforcement to encourage her students. "I let them know mistakes are OK and just…
[gtxvideo vid="F9TRRp2K" playlist="" pid="OTSe9U1y" thumb="http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/F9TRRp2K.jpg" vtitle="EOW”] DECATURVILLE, Tenn. -- "I love my kids. They're my students of course, but once they come into my room they become my kids," Dixie James said. She teaches second grade at Decaturville Elementary School.…
