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Janet Damon, Colorado’s 2025 Instructor of the 12 months, is one among 4 finalists for the Nationwide Instructor of the 12 months award, the group that runs the competition introduced Thursday.
A historical past instructor at Denver Public Colleges’ DELTA Excessive Faculty, Damon can also be a DPS graduate and profession educator who has spent 25 years working as a instructor, librarian, library specialist and coach, and literacy interventionist, in accordance with the varsity district.
Damon co-founded a e-book membership targeted on empowerment known as Afros and Books that promotes equal entry to books in underserved communities, in accordance with the Colorado Division of Training. She additionally organizes out of doors actions for households reminiscent of mountaineering, kayaking, archery, yoga, fly fishing, and birding, the division stated.
“I’m really honored to be named a finalist for the Nationwide Instructor of the 12 months award,” Damon stated in a press launch. “This recognition is a mirrored image of the wonderful college students, colleagues, and neighborhood I’m lucky to work with each day. Educating is about empowering others, and I’m excited to proceed sharing the unimaginable work taking place in our school rooms.”
The opposite finalists are Ashlie Crosson, an English instructor in Pennsylvania; Mikaela Saelua, an English instructor within the Western District of American Samoa; and Jazzmyne Townsend, an elementary college literacy tutorial coach in Washington, D.C., in accordance with the Council of Chief State Faculty Officers, which runs the annual contest.
The winner might be introduced this spring. The Nationwide Instructor of the 12 months will spend a 12 months performing as an envoy and advocate for lecturers and college students. The present Nationwide Instructor of the 12 months is Missy Testerman, who teaches English learners in Tennessee.
When Damon was named Colorado Instructor of the 12 months in a shock ceremony at DELTA Excessive Faculty in October, one among her college students known as her a “guiding spirit.”
In choosing her as Colorado Instructor of the 12 months, the state schooling division cited Damon’s give attention to serving to college students think about options to issues within the state and their lives, together with by creating podcasts on homelessness, gun violence, incarceration, inflation, and immigration.
“Janet Damon exemplifies what it means to satisfy the second as an educator,” Denver Superintendent Alex Marrero stated in a press launch. “She responds to every pupil’s distinctive wants with creativity, constructing pleasure for studying and galvanizing each pupil she touches. Her impression is transformative, shaping the long run one pupil at a time.”
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis known as the finalist nomination “well-deserved.”
“I’m thrilled that Janet might be representing Colorado on this prestigious nationwide stage and we’re rooting for her each step of the way in which,” Polis stated in a press launch.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at [email protected].
