Tuesday marked National Teacher Appreciation Day and the White House added to the spirit of the day by honoring the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, Jahana Hayes. Ms. Hayes, as she is lovingly known in the classroom, is a Connecticut native who currently teaches in her Waterbury hometown at John F. Kennedy High School. Hayes grew up in the Waterbury projects and her environment could be seen by some as an impossible obstacle to overcome, but she did not become a product of her environment; in fact, Hayes’ teachers in her younger years pushed her to be better and rise above the adversity in her community.
Hayes’ admitted that being a teacher was not a part of her life plan at first, but now she works in a profession that President Obama considers one of the most noble fields anyone could serve in. On Tuesday, Obama presented her the crystal apple given to the winners each year and she humbly accepted. Hayes was selected by a Council of Chief State School Officers and at the White House ceremony, she was joined by other teachers who were named the teacher’s of the year in their home states.
Not only does Hayes act as an exemplary teaching professional, but she also encourages her students to be active members in their communities. She says she can relate to her students in more ways than one and wants to give them the support and love that she received that pushed her to be an exceptional being all around. She truly sees the importance of not only doing what’s required but going beyond it to provide her students with life lessons that will remain with them after they leave the confines of their high school.
It is apparent that to Hayes teaching is not just a job, it is her life’s mission. We congratulate you on all of your success and thank you for making the teaching world a little brighter day-in and day-out! Click the video below to see the moment Hayes learned she was the winner and why her students love her so much:
