She said a little boy named Ryan had âtugged at her heart strings.â âThat summer, not only did I help Ryan, but he helped me realize what I wanted to do with my life,â Norwood said. âI am so very grateful that I chose to follow that path.â   On Thursday, Norwood â who has served 17 of her 20 years as an educator with the Belton Independent School District â was recognized as the Belton ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. Her Sparta Elementary students surprised her with the recognition. âI am honored to be recognized by my peers for what I do each day,â she said. âBeing a teacher is not just a job to me, it is part of who I am. I want to see my students succeed no matter how big or small their success is.â