Favorite teachers celebrated

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 4/21/15

By KELCY DOLAN

Tucked behind the stacks of books, students and teachers gathered with family and friends for Barnes & Noble’s My Favorite Teacher ceremony.

Students could write a thank you …

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Favorite teachers celebrated

Posted

By KELCY DOLAN

Tucked behind the stacks of books, students and teachers gathered with family and friends for Barnes & Noble’s My Favorite Teacher ceremony.

Students could write a thank you letter, poem or essay recognizing one of their teachers for their incredible impact.

Barnes & Noble received 69 submissions from students across the state for the contest that began here but has become a national phenomenon for Barnes & Noble.

The top three winning students and teachers were honored with certificates and gift cards last week.

Each student read their winning essay and then teachers expressed their thanks.

Will Gilbert from “The Rhode Show” was Master of Ceremonies and said that even if we don’t realize it as it’s happening, there is always a teacher or two that helps shape our lives and leave a lasting impression.

“Teaching is not an easy job and a lot of the time the work teachers do goes unrecognized most of the time,” he said.

St. Kevin School eighth-grader Adriel Summer Lizarda recognized her math teacher, David Irving. He was the third place runner-up.

Lizarda said Irving made math understandable and fun in a way other teachers couldn’t and has appreciated all his hard work over the past few years.

Irving said that it was moments like this that makes teaching such a “fulfilling occupation.”

The second place runner-ups, student Caroline Cowart and Kate Meyette, a third grade teacher at Glen Hills Elementary School in Cranston, considered themselves “kindred spirits.”

Cowart, now in ninth grade, said she and Meyette fostered a close relationship over the book series “Anne of Green Gables.”

Meyette would follow along with Cowart’s progression through the books and when she finished, Meyette gave her young student the movie collection.

“She will always have a special place in my heart because she is my kindred spirit,” Cowart said.

In first place was Dr. Caroline Savery, a chemistry teacher from Warwick Veterans, thanks to an essay written by Brianna Bier.

Superintendent Richard D’Agostino could not be at Barnes & Noble for the event but sent along his congratulations. Vets Principal Gerry Habershaw attended.

“The way you make a school great is by having amazing teachers in each classroom,” he said.

Bier read her essay outlining Savery’s fiery attempts to keep students interested in science, between igniting different chemicals to show various colors or setting fire to a chalkboard to reveal a heart of flames.

Her essay ended, “She will get you to learn something somehow.”

Savery will be eligible for the regional competition where she could win a $500 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble and a $5,000 gift card if she wins nationally.

Savery said, “You don’t often hear about teenagers doing something spectacular, but if you look, you can be amazed. I am thankful to do this job every day.”

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