Getting high marks

A diverse panel of 10 individuals from across Evangeline Parish assembled Monday to help select three teachers from the parish’s school district to receive an honor that District Middle School Teacher of the Year Lisa Jack described as “humbling.”
Jack, along with Yvonne Johnson and Alice Lejeune, were chosen as Evangeline Parish’s school district’s teachers of the year.
For Johnson, who was chosen as the district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, this whole experience has been one she did not expect at all. Johnson said, “I was surprised when the elementary teachers at Pine Prairie chose me as the school’s Elementary Teacher of the Year, so I was really surprised when the panel of judges chose me as a district winner.”
After being selected as Teacher of the Year at their school, the teachers that were interested in competing to become the district’s Teachers of the Year were then required to write a response to a question for the panel of judges, give a speech, and then answer questions asked by Title 1 Supervisor Grace Sibley.
David Ortego, who was a part of the judging committee, said that after judging he was left “totally impressed with the winners as well as all of the nominees.”
A former teacher and former Evangeline Parish School Board Member, Ortego thought he understood what goes on in the classroom until last Monday.
Ortego said, “I realized how much education has changed since I was in the classroom with all of the requirements made of educators, in addition to having their students learn subject matter.”
Their regular classroom work along with the extra work that is involved in the process of being able to compete to become one of the district’s Teachers of the Year is one that Lejeune, who was chosen as the district’s High School Teacher of the Year, called “a new challenge that is well worth it.”
For Lejeune, this was not her first time experiencing this honor, however this time around her experience has been much different.
Lejeune, who teaches at Ville Platte High, said, “I initially said no to competing in district because I had done this before, but it really has been a completely new experience this time because we have Mrs. Grace. She makes sure to give us all of the paperwork, which is a lot, that we need and has made it a bigger deal. This is like the Miss America Pageant for teachers.”
Johnson then added, “Mrs. Grace makes us earn it.”
The hard work that it takes to earn this honor is something all three ladies agreed was well worth it, especially after returning to their school as the district’s 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year.
Johnson said, “It was really cool because kids at school were congratulating me. I was surprised to see that.”
Then, fighting back laughs, Johnson continued, “But what was really great was the compliment a third grade student gave to me. When he saw me he said, congrats on becoming first president teacher. I had never heard of first president teacher, but I figured hey, I’ll accept the title.”
For Jack, who teaches at Vidrine Elementary School, becoming one of the district’s Teacher of the Year is something that has made her feel pride in the district that she went to school in.
Jack said, “This is my home. I graduated from Mamou High, so I have always loved this place. To be able to win an award like this in the district that provided me with my education, is just amazing.”
For Jack, who returned to teaching in Evangeline Parish this year, earning the title of Middle School Teacher of the Year has been reassurance for her, that her peers approve of what Jack is doing in the classroom.
Jack said, “I had left this district to teach in another one for a few years, and this is my first year back. The fact that some teachers I worked with years ago still feel the same about my ability to educate is amazing. It is so humbling to have your fellow teachers put their stamp of approval on you and then have a group of 10 other people also believe in the work you are doing.”
Now that these three women have become teacher of the year in their school district, Johnson, Jack, and Lejeune will now embark on the next part of their journey as district winners. The three ladies, who are now considered regional finalist, will compete against other Louisiana School Districts’ Teachers of the Year. The winners at the regional level will then head to state to compete for a cash prize and a Mercedes car to drive around for a year.
The prizes at the state level may be enticing, but for Johnson there is a greater prize that she has received from winning Teacher of the Year at the school and then district level.
Johnson said, “As a special education teacher, people don’t get to see our kids get it right very often, but by winning Teacher of the Year in the district, we are provided with the perfect way to show my kids can get it right. I am an advocate for my kids. Getting their successes into the public eye is what I am here to do. When they are successful, then I am successful.”