As a middle school student, Jordan School District Superintendent Anthony Godfrey found inspiration from his English teacher.

“When I was a kid, Mr. (Stan) Evans did everything he could to reach me personally and make sure I had great experiences in school; nobody did it like him,” Godfrey said. “He was very encouraging of my going into teaching. I taught English like him; I really took after him.”

Today, Godfrey draws motivation from the dedication and creativity of outstanding educators throughout his district.

“It means the world to these teachers to know that they're recognized not just by the people who they work with, but by the people in the (Jordan Education) Foundation who read the nominations and make the donations that make the celebrations possible,” Godfrey said. “We have so many amazing teachers in our district. There are 3,600 teachers overall, and it's important for us to be able to highlight a teacher in every building every year. They need to be noticed and know how much we appreciate them and that they're having a lasting impact day to day.”

At an April 16 banquet held at the Salt Lake Bees’ new South Jordan stadium, each of the top 14 honorees received $1,000 from the Foundation, a Beddy’s blanket, a commemorative bat crafted by South Valley students and additional gifts.

Alongside the Jordan Education Foundation, school administrators, South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey, state Rep. Tracy Miller, Salt Lake Bees broadcaster Tony Parks and local leaders, Godfrey surprised the 14 exceptional teachers on March 20. Four of them teach in South Jordan schools.

Amber Thomas, Bingham High

Amber Thomas, coach of the national champion Bingham High cheer squad, English teacher and department chair and instructional coach, was recognized for her unwavering support of students.

“My high school English teacher (Jackie Burr) was the absolute best,” Thomas said. “She was also my cheer coach. I knew my junior year I wanted to teach English and follow in her footsteps. I was lucky enough to teach with her the first couple years here at Bingham. She's just amazing. The one thing I hope I do, that she does, is care about kids.”

Thomas builds strong connections with her students through an inclusive classroom environment and active support outside the classroom.

“I start off trying to get to know the students the best way I possibly can, so they know I care about them. I attend as many things as I possibly can so kids can see me supporting them outside of the classroom. It's just fun to be around the kids,” she said.

Godfrey praised her impact: “She's an outstanding educator, outstanding coach and outstanding instructional coach of the year. She lifts everyone she's around.”

Thomas was surprised by her award and the spirited celebration featuring cheerleaders, percussionists and a gym full of students.

“I thought I was meeting with the principal and a guy with gym mat storage. It took a moment to register this; I just didn't know it would ever be me,” she said.

Parks acknowledged her efforts behind the scenes: “It’s the stuff that people don’t see. It's amazing the work that you put together and it's great to see it all come together in a moment like this.”

Her principal, Rodney Shaw, pointed out the sentiment in his nomination: “Amber helps many students outside of her own in her classroom...she willingly gives her own time to inspire these students to succeed.”

Thomas appreciated the recognition.

“This is a great school with a supportive administration,” she said. “I'm lucky because I get to connect with students and make a difference in their lives. As an instructional coach, I help retain great teachers who impact the students at this school. I get the best of both worlds. I have a 10-year-old and a 4-year-old and the 10-year-old was over the moon about this award. The best part though is feeling the value of all the things I do. It's nice it doesn't go unnoticed.”

Celina Forsyth, Aspen Elementary 

Celina Forsyth was caught completely off guard when her classroom turned into a celebration.

“I was in my classroom, where the class had just finished taking a quiz, and the kids were silent reading; I was kneeling down talking to a student about his book,” she said. “I remember people coming into my room and I thought, ‘One of the kids won something.’ But when someone said, ‘Stand on this chair,’ I thought, ‘Why am I standing on a chair when one of the kids won an award?’ I looked around and I saw my mom who lives in Oregon and I wasn’t sure why she was there for a student. It turned out I won an award. I was so shocked the whole time.”

Her students quickly erupted in celebration.

“Many of them clapped with all their heart. They were very proud. They were tearing papers out of their notebooks, asking for autographs. They were excited not just for me, but because the school district and community were generous enough to give bowling passes for them and their families,” she said.

Her path to teaching was shaped by her own fifth-grade teacher “who made me love school. That's when I really started striving toward being an educator” and she gave up other ideas of being a princess or a softball star.

“My last bit of my undergrad, I sent him an email and let him know he was a big impact on me. I have this memory where he would roll around on his rolly chair and pretend he was stopping at drive throughs to check on us the kids. We were having fun for fun sake, he was making learning more enjoyable,” she said. 

Forsyth applies that spirit to her lessons today. After an English unit on the heart, she transformed her classroom into an operating room, with students wearing surgical scrubs building 3D heart models.

“I always tell my kids, if we can get through the nitty gritty with a good attitude, we'll end up with extra time and we can do something fun,” she said.

She’s also organized experiences such as a book tasting in an Italian-themed café and a math-based murder mystery.

“It keeps the kids engaged and it motivates them. I want my kids to take away from their fourth-grade year that they were cared for and that they're capable, so much more capable than they give themselves credit for. I hold expectations high and show them they can reach those,” Forsyth said.

In just her second year teaching at Aspen and third overall, Forsyth feels supported and inspired.

“I absolutely adore the community,” she said. “I'm surprised about this award because I am surrounded by such an incredible faculty and staff. I go into school every day and I see so much love and care and effort put toward every single one of these kids that I'm inspired every day to meet that same expectation. I want to be that same teacher for everybody, too. Not only do I love seeing the students grow to be their best selves, but I see myself growing to be my best self, too.”

Jerusha Johnson, South Jordan Middle

Band teacher Jerusha Johnson was honored during a heartwarming surprise orchestrated by her school community.

“My students make me feel appreciated every single day,” she said. “There is not a day that goes by that one of my kids will walk in and say, ‘Finally, the class I got out of bed for’ or ‘I'm so happy to be able to play my instrument.’ I get, ‘This is my favorite class’ or ‘you're my favorite teacher’ every single day. My kids are not afraid to say, ‘We sound good because of your hard work.’ If I needed that to fill my cup, I would be the most content person on earth, because they make it overflow every day. They're just sweet and they genuinely feel that way. So that is where my satisfaction comes from; my heart is full of gratitude and love.”

Johnson teaches more than 300 students across multiple band classes and was stunned to see the crowd which gathered to recognize her — and that she couldn’t see every student who was there to support her to be able to thank them personally.

“I felt bad about that, because I know if I had been in their shoes, I would have wanted my teacher to see I was there supporting them and thinking they were cool,” she said.

That’s because Johnson remembers being in their shoes.

“Growing up in middle school and high school, I spent most of my time at school. I really loved school. It was where I was happiest,” she said.

Johnson was influenced by a friend and her music history professor to teach band. 

“I'm passionate about music and about teaching,” she said. “We look back and compare how far we've come, to be proud of ourselves and to be happy we know the skills. I'm proud of them, especially since it's hard.”

Johnson builds their self-esteem and confidence by challenging students.

“I teach them the gift of failure and tell them straight out, ‘Today, I’m giving you the gift of failure.’ They know it will be something tough for them, but when they break it down and work on it, they realize they can do hard things. It's the best way to learn. Banging your head against the wall is an OK thing as long as you make progress. When they do succeed, they should feel good about themselves,” she said.

Principal Curtis Jenson summed up her dedication: “She puts the students first and works harder than anyone to help them succeed and to ensure they have fun while doing it.”

Johnson has taught 15 years, eight at South Jordan Middle.

“It’s fulfilling my students and the people in my community know how much I care about them and want to give them a good education,” she said. “It’s also humbling hearing all these nice things people are saying. I really want to live up to that. I want to up my game. I want to be that person.”

Lannies Liu, Monte Vista Elementary 

Lannies Liu, a dual immersion teacher originally from Taiwan, has spent a decade shaping students’ lives through Chinese language and culture.

“Education is very different here than in Taiwan, so that’s why I wanted to learn how to teach here,” she said.

During her four years at Monte Vista, Liu has started an after-school tutoring program where older students help younger peers with Chinese immersion. She often stays late to assist students preparing for Chinese competitions.

“Teaching is not easy, but I hope I can help my students have a better and happier future. That's why I became a teacher,” she said.

A colleague addressed her dedication in his nomination: “(She) maintains high expectations for her students, consistently dedicating her time and energy to support their growth and success. She goes above and beyond, offering students opportunities to apply their Chinese language skills in competitions and community events, always providing the individual attention each student needs to thrive. Her students know that she genuinely cares about their progress and is committed to helping them continuously improve.”

Liu often integrates cultural traditions into her teaching, helping students understand both Taiwanese and Chinese cultures.

“They look like the same country, but they do carry different culture. I want them to know the cultural differences between these two countries. When culture is introduced, they learn fast and have a greater understanding,” she said.

One event Liu led — a Mid-Autumn Moon Festival — drew wide community participation.

A parent who nominated her said, “(She) envisioned an event where the entire Monte Vista Community came together to experience Chinese culture and celebration. Her vision came to life as families, both in and out of DLI program, came in large numbers to experience, taste and participate in Chinese culture. It will now be an ongoing event that will be experienced for years to come.”

Liu was moved by the honor.

“I thought they were throwing a party for someone else. I saw the (Bees) mascot and I thought, ‘Someone likes baseball.’ We were waiting for an assembly in the gym when they invited me to come up. I was really very surprised and honored,” Liu said. “It really touches my heart to be part of this school and school district, but to be honest, all this still feels a little unreal.”

Mayor Dawn Ramsey summed up the spirit of the awards: “We have so many amazing teachers who put their heart and soul into helping students learn and excel. These teachers are elite. They go above and beyond to provide the best opportunities for every child they teach.” λ