Meet Jahana Hayes, 2016 countrywide instructor of the 12 months

Jahana Hayes, a social studies trainer at John F. Kennedy high college in Waterbury, CT., changed intonamed the 2016 national trainer of the 12 months on Thursday by using the Council of leader statefaculty officials (CCSSO).

Hayes, a member of NEA’s state and nearby and affiliates, the Connecticut schooling affiliation and the Waterbury instructors association, could be honored through President Barack Obama at the Whitehouse on national trainer Day on may additionally 3, during countrywide teacher Appreciation Week.

“Jahana Hayes is a shining instance of the extremely good teachers who encourage their college students to try for his or her desires and by no means surrender, irrespective of what card they’ve been dealt,” stated NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “On behalf of the country wide training association’s 3million individuals — Jahana’s colleagues — we want to congratulate her on our career’s most prestigious honor.”

Hayes’ profession as an educator is going lower back 13 years with the maximum current eleven years in Waterbury. She has taught global records, Roots of yank Citizenship, U.S. records, Civics & Geography, and African American history.

all through her profession, Hayes has been honored time and time again for her unwavering dedication to her students inside and outside the school room – a dedication Hayes inherited from the academicswho noticed in her the ability to triumph over the abject poverty that surrounded her early life.

“instructors exposed me to a extraordinary global through letting me borrow books to study at home and sharing testimonies about their university reviews,” said Hayes. “so many matters that [teachers do] falloutside of conventional teaching obligations. it’s miles the ones instances while i’m converted into anmarketing consultant, counselor, confidant and protector.”

certainly one of Hayes proudest accomplishments is her students’ enthusiasm for community provider.even though she initially didn’t anticipate her work and affect to extend past the lecture room walls, Hayes has usually encouraged students to be energetic gamers in making their neighborhoods a betterlocation via multi-faceted carrier tasks for Habitat for Humanity, Relay for existence and the yankee most cancers Society. The pleasure that comes from looking “college students take ownership in theirnetwork is unequalled,” stated Hayes.

Hayes additionally served for seven years because the lead teacher for the district’s after-facultyprogramming, and has contributed to the district’s efforts to recruit extra minority instructors. in addition, Hayes, who mentors new teachers, is presently helping in organising district-extensive mentorshippackages. obsessed with selling teaching as a profession, Hayes has helped relaxed presents toendorse for schooling careers, particularly for minority applicants.

“we’re extremely happy with Jahana’s achievements and her unyielding passion for all of her college students,” stated CEA President Sheila Cohen. “She is dedicated to the teaching career and committed to being the satisfactory position model possible for her college students.”

Having Hayes in Waterbury’s classrooms is a privilege no other district within the state can tout, statedSuperintendent Dr. Kathleen M. Ouellette, and “the scholars of Waterbury are the benefactors.”

“She is a consummate expert who demonstrates every day that she honestly believes that the complexity of our work needs tapping into the expertise and experience of the collective in place of depending uponthe ones of the one man or woman in rate,” stated Ouellete.

Hayes will spend the next 12 months traveling the state to represent educators and suggest on behalf of public training. As a leading spokesperson for the coaching career, she hopes to encourage morehumans to observe her direction into the classroom.

In her utility to be named teacher of the year, Hayes wrote, “Being constantly confronted with negativemedia perceptions surrounding teaching practices and a perceived lack of responsibility makes me muchmore determined to be vocal and supportive of instructors and coaching as a profession.”