Jennifer Jones-Bryant has been teaching first grade at Centerra Mirage STEM Academy in the Avondale Elementary School District for 26 years. She says her secret to keeping all her students interested and excited about learning is getting to know each one of them personally.
Teaching our youngest students is no small job. Stephanie Wolff works with both kindergarteners and first graders. She understands and embraces the gravity of her responsibility. She is a Silver Apple Award winner.
When Arizona’s Family surprised high school teacher Morgan Novelli with a Silver Apple Award for excellence in education, we had no idea the impact it would have on her.
"It's just a beautiful affirmation that the work that we do not only happens in first grade but ripples throughout the rest of their academic careers."
"Not every teacher has a student reach out on their behalf to honor them with that, so it means a lot to me," said Dan Van Tienderen, a special education teacher at Cortez High School.