Her name is Naomi. She is an English teacher in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has been teaching for twenty-one years at various schools. During this time she has been an Assistant Principle, Middle School Principle, Accreditation Director, Assistant Director of Academic Instruction, and Spanish Teacher (yes, she is bilingual). If anybody deserves to be recognized as an excellent educator, it would be her.

The thing that is most special about her is that that she really cares for her students. Many educators decide to teach in public schools for the pension and the fact that public schools usually pay better than private schools; but after nine years of public teaching, she forsook the benefits and left for a Christian private school so that she could share her faith with the students of whom she was in charge of teaching. She loves not only teaching about English, but also teaching about her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She currently leads a small group during school every Wednesday with girls who are struggling or need some advice from a female role-model. In addition, she stays after school to help students who need extra help with understanding the concepts taught in class. It’s not only her compassion and love that draw students to her though, but her knowledge. She reads up on every single book that her students read during the year so that she is prepared for any questions. In fact, she even put on a full scale presentation in preparation for her class’s reading of Julius Caesar. It is in this way that she shows her dedication for her students: the sleepless nights of grading, the prepared worksheets made from scratch, and the tailor made tests for each class.

In conclusion, she deserves this award because she embodies everything I want to be: hard-working, passionate, and loving. If you asked her what her favorite bible verse is, she would gladly tell you this.

“ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7

Oh, and did I happen to mention that she is my mother?