Congratulations to the 2020-2021 Golden Apple Teachers of the Year! Meet the 2020-2021 Finalists and Golden Apple Teachers of the Year Share Updated: 2:07 PM EDT Jun 3, 2021 Congratulations to the 2020-2021 Golden Apple Teachers of the Year! Meet the 2020-2021 Finalists and Golden Apple Teachers of the Year Share Updated: 2:07 PM EDT Jun 3, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript number. Our planet's from inside the classroom. This is my happy place to virtual learning. I'll just pull it up so we can look at it together real quick. We saw teachers rise to the occasion. Hello and welcome to the real story with 1234123 It's kind of hot to keep our kids learning in a time like never before. God Jalen. Come on up here. Come on up here. You got the classroom setups, you can do hard things right? Socially distant teaching and reaching students miles away. All right. Then teachers once again met the high standards our Children deserved, you changed the world and make a difference. I'm part of their path to change the world. One day, he just is a really good teacher to me now. A WBFF News for Special Golden Apple Award, saluting our teachers. Thank you so much for joining us tonight and welcome to W. I. F. F. News for Golden Apple Awards, saluting our teachers. I'm han award. It has been a school year like no other, as many of you know, in almost every single way. And this includes inside classrooms across the upstate and western north Carolina and Georgia. From day one to graduation day, we've heard of incredible creative ways that our teachers have been able to reach our students, not just face to face, but also virtually. So during the next hour we're going to highlight this year's Golden Apple Awards weekly winners to show you some of this amazing work. We're also going to name this year's Golden Apple Awards top winner. And I can tell you it was a very, very hard choice for our judges to make. In the next hour, we're featuring teachers who inspire students from age 5 to 65 as wBFF news for Jeff hart shows us not all of them always imagined being teachers, but what they all have in common passion and imagination. Everybody. What's one sound that kind of hot. It's the energy of a kindergarten class. You're just beginning to learn to read, write your best cheese all new and exciting for them. 16 of Alice Scoggins, 19 years of teaching have been here at Jessie Boyd Elementary in Spartanburg County, where she went to school. You're dancing? What about your dancing? Mom's not so great. I do what I can. This year she moved from teaching third grade to kindergarten. We're going to learn the sound that the letter she makes gorilla goes, come back down. Social and emotional aspect has been really important to get the kids back into school. Most important thing is that they come in and want to come to school and want to learn in these trying times. She says, it takes everyone to make it all work. They've just done a really good job of making sure that we're all safe here at school and that's the most important thing. 23 times 19 1 look at Janice, rice Coffey tells you she's a lot of fun greeting her students as the day begins. Good morning. J What does her mask say about her that I'm fun, spunky and energetic as the special education teacher at powders ville Middle School in Greenville County. She understands them more than they know. As a student, Latter university, an adviser suggested she pursue a special education degree because her younger sister had a learning disability. I've always had a passion for math. I love math. She gets creative with it in class, thumbs up or thumbs down. This is her banana split multiplication. I'm just going to add the cool whip for free Janice was adopted when she was 12. Close to the age of some of her students have Children who come from broken homes. I know what that's like. I can relate to them and I don't pretend to know what they're going through because it's all different. We spend a lot of time together so often times. I'm like their second mom. Yeah. Sam, you're looking smart today, jennifer Hollowell is many things. All right. It's all about connecting with students. Something she learned when she was in high school. If it hadn't been for those teachers really pouring into me that I would not be the person that I am today Bella during the time of the civil war. What was the traditional role for women? I said that they were known to work in the household now in her 21st year, the last 14 at Seneca High School teaching American literature. She's the go to person for so many tasking them to write a poem of serious reflection. Now that you're gone my heart forever. X Although our time was short and ended in tears, you will always be remembered for all of my years. She is also in charge of teacher cadets, a program that groom students to become teachers. I want to inspire, you know, my cadets to want to teach and pursue that passionate is truly, I believe the most important profession of all professions. Yeah. Give me maybe one time stop If you feel super, super, super confident with multiplication. Teaching was in Daniel Conaway's first choice. I won't say that I grew up with this burning desire to be a teacher. Honestly. Initially she had her heart set on investing in people as she called it. But some of her high school teachers pointed her to the classroom, the best version of people to invest in with kids. What strategy did you use now in her fifth year here, She's thriving. This is where I needed to be. This is where I wanted to be. And I just kind of took it one day at a time, working with her students on their multiplication and division. So problem gets difficult. Are you going to give up? No, you are not. And why are you not going to give up? Because you can do hard things? Right. Yes. To me, I 100% believe that my relationship with them is the best. Um, and I tell them from the moment they walk in, I said, now you're part of my family now. Um, and I tell them, you know, it doesn't stop all of our golden apple winners have something that sets them apart, Whether that's teaching students with high risk factors or maybe using music to teach different cultures. These teachers go above and beyond. One travels all around the school teaching multiple subjects to multiple classes, while another one has taught all around the world, here's Jeff Hart. I need everybody to take out their Cornell notes from last week's E Learning. It's a different kind of class this year for these sixth graders at Lakeview Middle School in Greenville, Donna Spain has spent most of her teaching career in special Ed. Did you feel like a college student? We believe in these kids and we know they can do it. And so it does get emotional. I think this is a great classroom because this is helping students like be better students and helping them get better, great all to be better equipped for academics to come. That's phase one. Today, they're working on the five phases of note taking like they would in college. Her motto is all she will not give up on a student and an example of someone who knows what it takes to overcome. I was going through some hard things. I needed a teacher, an adult to just ask me about it and they never did. She says that's why every day she tries to be that person for her students. Beautiful air high five. This is the music room at Monte View Elementary School with COVID 19. It's quiet these days, but the music goes on. Emily. Mayberry and her squeaky cart head to the second floor, bringing the music to those who used to come to her. Hey France. My mom said I was singing before I was talking her first stop second graders where she playfully wakes them up. Yeah, do not touch it. Not even with your itsy bitsy pinky finger. Do not touch it. Not even with your nose you see are all over the building. High energy talking to the kids and the staff. It's really been a pleasure Miss Mayberry brought in new programs and opportunities here that the students wouldn't normally have. In the spring. She spearheaded the first virtual talent show. It included students and faculty members. My job isn't to teach music. My job is to teach the kids to love music. We're talking about I structure just a few steps into this classroom and you can feel the energy. Have you ever heard someone talk about how you can throw off your balance in your ear? This is part of that Claire Armstrong teaches social studies at Westside High School and Anderson. I wouldn't have picked it any other way at this point. Straight out of Clemson University with a degree in political science. She worked in a foster care program in Houston before finding her way back here. Initially she hoped to teach political science, but psychology was chosen for her. It was a challenge at first, but it has been the most fun course ever. Traditionally teaching requires an education degree, but she's part of an alternative program that recognizes the benefits of other degrees enabling her to teach while earning an educator certification through psychology. I have learned so much about what's happening inside of me. I genuinely love the kids in my classroom and I love the relationships that I have with them because they matter to me. Mhm. Kayleigh Rose knows how to make a great impression and five times one it's why she's at Dr Finn is E. J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville. We saw her out of shining stars recruitment event and we just didn't let her get out of the building. The school's principal, jeremy smith nominated her for this Golden Apple award. There is never a challenge that we give her that she doesn't accept. Miss Rose is an inclusion teacher working with special ed. It feels amazing for them to be able to do it on their own and for them to be able to understand how to answer the question. And she teaches 6th, 7th and 8th grade english six plus 17 and math, what is five plus seven? She's in six different classrooms with six different teachers, walking swiftly to her next assignment, I walk in the building and I don't stop moving. As a young teacher, she's been able to lead apartment um with such grace and composure. Can anyone tell me why the Franklin School of Innovation in Asheville 9th Grade English teacher Laura Hawkins is challenging her students to become deep thinkers, asking good questions is what English class has always been revealing something about herself to. Her class. Actually couldn't read until it was in fourth grade school was an exercise in humiliation a lot of times. Her class is more than just learning. It's about becoming your own person and finding your own identity. And Miss Hawkins discovered hers while traveling the globe on her own. At just 22, she went to bogota Colombia, then to Peru and into the Andes teaching in a small town. I taught in a room with no windows and the power would go off. She returned home, got her masters at Brown University, then headed off to teach school in kuwait twice, getting her dissertation in between. She also helped at the school of Harlem and the school of the Bronx. Growing as a teacher. I think it's always a process of becoming, learning better, finding something new. Coming up, education runs deep in this family. One local school, even bearing this Golden Apple winners last name and a little later changed my life that you're coming heart warming reunion as a Golden Apple winner, finds out who nominated them, we'll be right back. Mhm, mhm, mm. Welcome back to the Golden Apple Awards, saluting our teachers. You're about to meet teachers from all walks of life, fulfilling different educational purposes. As Jeff Hart shows us all of them are no doubt making a forever impact in their student's life. It was a bold move, means to buy, okay to buy leaving his native Venezuela, Where did you go? And what did you buy Alex velasquez was a teacher in his homeland, you know, that's easy, right? And now he's teaching spanish here at easily high school realizing early his job was more than just teaching when we take the moment and really care for a student. I think that's transformational, He just loves what he does and he loves all of his students even letting them needle him. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate you. Not when he occasionally trips up on some english words, but when I told him one of his students said he had impacted her life, he paused. That's humping. It is just humbling for me to hear that because you don't you don't know the influence you have on on some of these kids, even in their future careers, I'm going to teach you the difference of short term goals and long term goals. These ninth graders are getting a feel for classes they could take starting next year, that will kick start their future careers. They get the opportunity to come and see what the what the schools about, what it's like. Katie Ward heads up the career Academy program at Emory Career Center. This is Pamela, she's gonna see what you guys are doing today. She curated this class that exposes freshman. Mhm. To career opportunities. Many never considered before. They invest two years in a program. We want them to really know what they're, what they're getting into. He's gonna hang out with you today. All right, that's Megatron IX, this is Shae Lynn, she's gonna hang out with you guys today and this automotive, okay, They're known around the school is Katie's kids because you know, they come in and out, freshman can decide to come back for the two year training programs and they find a career that is enjoyable, not just a job and what's that one Alex Bennett is a Blacksburg native and you're getting really good at it. She attended Clemson then transferred the US, See what else do you thankful for graduating in computer science when I substituted in the special ed classroom, it's just like it opened up a new world to me a new opportunity to reach some other Children's lives. She's now in her 13th year teaching professionally, having spent the last six here at Gateway Elementary in travelers rest to see that smile on their face and that feeling of confidence when they get it is there is nothing that can replace that. They told me when molly was born, she would never read, she would never right, she'll never know her name, she would never talk, she'll never ride a bicycle. Mark is doing all that because of you. This was what I wanted to do, I wanted to reach these um students on that individual level. And and see if I can make a difference. Our next group of teachers all bring something special to the classroom. One has a family history in education dating back to segregation. There's even a school in the upstate now bearing his name. Another teacher nominated 12 times. Here again is Jeff Hart. What do you think is happening? It's been game on since the start of the school year. The reason she wants to do it is because she wants to get rid of these people. Sixth grade is a huge year for these kids. They're coming from elementary school. Um it's like a different world. It's anna Lemons goal to have her students become great readers at Pickens Middle School. Our main character is their age and I always try to pick books that are um going to appeal to them because they can relate to that character somehow and he is their age. And so it engages them a little bit and from this golden indian summer day, we had us a church. She knew she wanted to be an english teacher. The inspiration coming from her mom, a former elementary school teacher. I love energy. I I feel like I have a lot of it. I try to when I come to school, she's been a part of her popular theme weeks. This is Nascar before Covid 19. Great job. I love that answer. Yeah. They can do things that they set their mind to and they can have great futures. Should I give Connor a hard word or easy word. Easy. Okay. Brandon Beck is in his fourth year teaching social studies at bryson Middle School in Simpsonville. Alright, we've been studying Islam. Um How Islam has spread and affected other countries. Um In ancient history, education runs in his family. His great grandfather, Dr joseph Bebek was the principle of historic sterling high school for two decades before integration. He's a longtime principle there. He did really big things in the community, especially during that time of segregation and during the integration time period. Beck Academy middle school bears his name and his great grandson is honoring that legacy of leadership. If you look away from me, I'm gonna pick you die. Jalen. Come on up here, come on up here, you got this. I wanted that family aspect, so I want them to be comfortable enough to know that their peers are gonna be able to support them. His goals, help students become creative, independent, deep thinkers. The end of the day, regardless of you, learn the content or not, regardless of what your great is um That I'm making you a better person. Fourth grade Riley is on her way to a familiar place. The classroom of Kaitlin Parker at crestview Elementary School in Greer. Hey Riley, how are you? It was here back in second grade where everything changed for Riley struggling in school. At first she began making straight A's and the reason Mrs Parker who inspired her today, she's teaching character traits and Riley chimed in. And you see brave on the outside of me or is that something about my personality? On the inside, personality in the inside, take that and let's put that as an internal character trait in the pocket because we can't see it anymore. She's taught first grade for three years before moving to second Lincoln Memorial. Now in her sixth year of teaching, she feels she's more energized for her students during Covid 19 I think as a teacher, I've become more fun. I've come out of my shell won the best compliment comes from Riley herself. She always had time for me on a dreary rainy morning at Spartanburg Day school. Something special was about to happen. I was completely caught off guard. I did not really realize what was happening there. The excitement pointed at eighth grade history teacher, Sarah Terril. Ok, more hugs one by one. They lined up to thank her. Thank you for being such a wonderful teacher and always being so patient when I have questions. It means so much to me and thank you for being eating. And they were honest. Before you taught me history, I like hated history and you made me really like it. And now it's one of my favorite classes. So thank you. She was sure she wanted to work with Children, but was conflicted about teaching literature or history history one out. I feel like history is the whole story, so I get to tie everything into it. It's all about trust. I really am grateful for the Children's confidence and just their joy that they share. And when the Golden Apple special continues, that's got to be the highest honor in my life, This Golden Apple winner has received several awards, but nothing compares to one given to her by a student. Welcome back. Hands on. Learning is beneficial in many ways, but in a world of Covid 19, that's very hard to do. But that doesn't stop. These Golden Apple winners number our planets from the sun out of all the places in the universe. Mercury, venus, earth mars, jupiter, Saturn, uranus and Neptune. This is my happy place, Paula wise would not want to be anywhere else. And when you walk into her classroom you have to experience science textbooks are Galaxies away. It's better for them to learn hands on at students mold their planets. Little do they know MS. Wise is molding their minds for the future. When you do it with yourself, it gives you a better understanding of what their sizes. It helps me learn by touching it and actually using my hands and not just using my eyes and ears from this wise gauge Evans nominated, MS Wise, it makes where students want to come to school actually and come and know that their teachers