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黑料正能量 alumni are local Teacher of the Year finalists

This week, both Richmond and Columbia counties will announce their Teacher of the Year winners. 黑料正能量 is proud to have alumni representing three out of the five finalists for and two out of the five finalists for .

, of the at 黑料正能量, said she could not be prouder of all of the finalists.

鈥淲e work extremely hard to prepare our students well for the realities of the classroom,鈥 Wilson said. 鈥淥ur graduates are well equipped with the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to be highly effective teachers. Our AU alums consistently represent us with excellence and that is evident from the number of Teacher of the Year finalists we have each year. It is a joy and honor to celebrate their powerful stories of impact with our community.鈥

The Richmond County Teacher of the Year will be named during a banquet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6 at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. The winner of the Columbia County Teacher of the Year Award will be announced at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5 at White Oak Road Farm.

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Five 黑料正能量 alumni are finalists for Richmond County Teacher of the Year and Columbia County Teacher of the Year.
Richmond County Teacher of the Year: AU alumni finalists

Shikara Willis 鈥 C.T. Walker Magnet School

remembers the exact year she decided to become a teacher. She was in the third grade at Bungalow Road Elementary School in Richmond County.

She began the year full of joy and smiling every day in class, excited to be at school. But a few months later, her smile had vanished and her third-grade teacher, Eleanor Lambert, immediately noticed something was wrong.

鈥淢y family was going through a difficult time and Mrs. Lambert noticed that my light had dimmed,鈥 Willis said. 鈥淪he was always really attentive to the students. And she suddenly saw that happy little girl that used to hop on in to her third-grade class was no longer there. So, she quickly took an interest in what was going on in my life, as well as with my family. The impact that she had on me was absolutely amazing.鈥

Willis paused a moment, trying to hold back tears.

鈥淪he did it for me. She is my why. She is my reason that I went into teaching,鈥 Willis said. 鈥淓ven in the third grade, I had this whole idea that if I could be half of what she was to me to somebody else, then it will be worthwhile.鈥

For the past 19 years, Willis has taught students in both Richmond and Burke counties by leading with her heart.

鈥淚 think teaching takes a heart of service in order to be able to work with children each day,鈥 she said. 鈥淓verybody can鈥檛 do it because it鈥檚 not easy. You have to love it.鈥

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Shikara Willis, who earned her Specialist in Advanced Studies degree from 黑料正能量, has taught fifth-grade English for 19 years.

Willis, who earned her Specialist in Advanced Studies degree from 黑料正能量, has taught fifth-grade English at for the past six years. She began her career at Blakeney Elementary School in Burke County, also teaching fifth-grade English.

鈥淚 like to call myself a 10-year-old professional,鈥 Willis said, laughing. 鈥淚 know 10-year-old kids because that鈥檚 all I鈥檝e ever taught. I don鈥檛 know any other age. But 10- to 11-year-old kids, I get them. I know those kids.鈥

At that age, the students can be a challenge, but Willis says she understands their struggles.

鈥淚 remember one of my very first students when I was teaching in Burke County, named Reginald. I still occasionally see him because he is a grown-up now living in Augusta. He won鈥檛 mind me saying this, but when he was in third grade, I really think his motivation every single day was, 鈥業 am either going to make you or break you,鈥欌 Willis said, chuckling. 鈥淏elieve me, I had his mom鈥檚 number on speed dial. She would talk to him and he would get back in line. But there were times when I thought, 鈥楾his is it. I cannot do this anymore.鈥 It was my first year of teaching.鈥

But when Willis runs into Reginald now as an adult, he always tells her how much she meant to him, she said.

鈥淲hen I see him, I remind him of the hard time he gave me and he smiles this beautiful smile and tells me, 鈥榊eah, but I really liked you. Thank you. You were a great teacher,鈥欌 Willis said. 鈥淚 even run into his grandmother and she says that I was one of his favorite teachers, but even she will joke, 鈥業 don鈥檛 even know how you did it with him.鈥 And I鈥檓 honest with her and always say, 鈥楳a鈥檃m, I don鈥檛 know either. Grace and mercy.鈥欌

Over the years, Willis has attended some of her former students鈥 graduations and followed their careers because聽she wants her current and former students to know that she cares about their future.

When Willis learned that she was a finalist for Teacher of the Year in Richmond County, she was floored.

鈥淚 have to say, when I was selected as Teacher of the Year for C.T. Walker, I was really humbled because there are so many of the teachers here who give the very best that we have and we work hard together as a team for the benefit of the children,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hen, to be one of the finalists in the county, that was just the icing on the cake.鈥

Willis said her 14-year-old twins surprised her by saying, 鈥淢om, you know, you鈥檝e always been a Teacher of the Year in our hearts.鈥

But Willis said her husband鈥檚 words after the announcement really moved her: He told her how much she deserved the recognition.

鈥淚t meant a lot because he has seen the days of frustration and the days of joy,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e knows about me having to purchase things for some of the children, especially when I was in Burke County, who didn鈥檛 have the money to purchase items. He knows about me telling some of the kids, 鈥楲eave your bookbag behind. When you are in P.E., I鈥檒l put food in your bag for the weekend for you and your sister.鈥 He knows how much I care about these kids.鈥

Martina Anderson 鈥 McBean Elementary School

When found out she was a finalist for Richmond County Teacher of the Year, she couldn鈥檛 believe it.

She found out after being called into the office under the pretense of helping with a computer problem. Then, the principal of made the announcement over the loudspeaker to the entire school, leaving Anderson shocked.

鈥淚鈥檓 like, 鈥楳e? Really, me?鈥欌 said Anderson. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 do anything but my job and I鈥檓 just trying to help. It鈥檚 all overwhelming and humbling.鈥

Anderson has been in the classroom for 28 years. Her beginning, though, didn鈥檛 start like most teachers. She worked in the private sector before making the switch. She got her bachelor鈥檚 degree from 黑料正能量 in sociology and criminology with a minor in international studies.

Woman standing
Martina Anderson of McBean Elementary School

But she wasn鈥檛 being fulfilled at her first job and felt like she wasn鈥檛 giving back to the community as she wanted. Some of her good friends were high school teachers and they pointed her in that direction.

Her first job was at her alma mater, , where she taught social studies. The school started putting some special education students in her classroom, which eventually led to her getting a master鈥檚 degree from 黑料正能量 in special education.

鈥淭hey put a lot of special needs kids in my classroom because I worked well with them and I could reach them a little better than most, I guess,鈥 Anderson said. 鈥淚 have more patience. I enjoyed working with the students and decided to give it a try. So, I went back and got my degree in special education.鈥

For seven years, she concentrated on teaching special needs students. While she enjoyed it, she realized she was only working with a small population of students. This led her to branch out and become a media specialist, so she could reach students throughout the entire school.

鈥淚 thought I could reach more students that way and work with each grade level,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 could go into the classrooms and help teachers develop lessons, and that was at the forefront of technology.鈥

It was then she moved into National Hills Elementary School and found her true calling in the teaching profession.

鈥淚 got there and I loved it. I love elementary because I was like, 鈥極h my gosh, this is what they need at that young age,鈥欌 she said. 鈥淗opefully, it鈥檒l be a good foundation to build upon.鈥

Anderson is now at McBean Elementary and has been there for more than a decade. She said it is one of the top elementary schools in Richmond County and consistently has the highest test scores.

Anderson admits it was a big adjustment going from teaching in high school to elementary, but said it鈥檚 certainly been worthwhile and fulfilling.

鈥淭hey are lovely little people,鈥 Anderson said. 鈥淭hey like to hug and they just love on you and they just want to be loved. They鈥檙e more readily available to you and they鈥檙e like little sponges that want to soak up stuff.鈥

Melody Spires-Howe 鈥 Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School

For the past eight years, has enjoyed passing her love of history on to her students in Richmond County.

Spires-Howe, who currently teaches advanced placement social studies at , earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in history聽with a minor in anthropology and a master鈥檚 degree in teaching with a concentration in secondary education from 黑料正能量.

鈥淚 was originally inspired to be a teacher while taking my high school history courses,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 had amazing teachers who made studying history immersive and dynamic. I was further inspired by my learning experiences at 黑料正能量 under the social studies and education departments.鈥

黑料正能量 was a wonderful environment filled with great professors and a diverse student population, Spires-Howe said.

鈥淚t had the look and feel of a big university combined with the welcoming and personal feel of a small university,鈥 Spires-Howe said. 鈥淚 loved the fact that class sizes were small and that I really got to know my professors. It provided me with an excellent world-class education in my own hometown.鈥

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Melody Spires-Howe of Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School

While at 黑料正能量, Spires-Howe said she had a strong connection to the .

鈥淚n this department, my love and passion for the social sciences expanded as I learned the research, analysis and synthesis skills needed to become a historian,鈥 she said. 鈥淭his department afforded many opportunities that made my time at 黑料正能量 rewarding. For example, I worked as the department student assistant via the work study program and learned valuable workplace skills. In addition to that experience, I also had the opportunity to complete an internship at the Fort Gordon Archives and attended a study abroad program in Sweden.鈥

Some of her favorite courses at 黑料正能量 were research methods with , Islamic worlds with , anthropology with and , women鈥檚 history with , ethics with and all of the history classes taught by .

鈥淭he professors in the history department were phenomenal,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey fostered an inquiry-based education and promoted learning environments that supported their students.鈥

Spires-Howe also said the College of Education and Human Development at 黑料正能量 helped thoroughly prepare her for a career in the classroom.

鈥淭he combination of informative teaching courses and in-field experiences set me on the path to implementing effective teaching practices in my own classroom,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he most influential class from my education pathway was educational technology with . This class prepared me to navigate the ever-changing聽incorporation of technology in the field of education.鈥

Today, Spires-Howe brings those skills to her classroom at Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School.

鈥淒avidson Fine Arts is an amazing place to teach,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t has wonderful students, a hardworking staff and dedicated educators. The students are excited to learn and are willing to put in the hard work needed to succeed in their academics as well as in their fine arts.鈥

Columbia County Teacher of the Year: AU alumni finalists

Marisol Garcia-Mitchell 鈥 Greenbrier High

When looks at her classrooms鈥 rosters each year, she doesn鈥檛 see a list of names on a page. Instead, she sees a story behind each student鈥檚 name.

鈥淚 see a face and I see a story,鈥 said Garcia-Mitchell, who teaches Spanish at in Columbia County. 鈥淚 see a story behind each student that could be similar to what I went through as a child. Or it could be another story that needs to be told.鈥

As a native of Panama, Garcia-Mitchell said one of her elementary teachers, Edilberto Guti茅rrez, saw she was struggling as a young child and reached out to help.

鈥淢y third-grade teacher, Mr. Guti茅rrez, inspired me because of his compassion for students,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e took the time to understand that there was something going on at my house that was affecting me in the classroom. He truly cared and I don鈥檛 know if he knows how much he impacted me.鈥

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Marisol Garcia-Mitchell of Greenbrier High School

To this day, Garcia-Mitchell says she works hard to build the same kind of relationships with her students and make sure they feel safe and secure in her classroom.

鈥淚 want them to know that I鈥檓 there for them and I want them to feel comfortable enough to come to me and let me know, 鈥業 need help,鈥 if they are struggling,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 want them to trust me because I鈥檓 there to help build their self-esteem and confidence.鈥

Garcia-Mitchell moved to the United States after marrying her husband who was stationed in Panama during his military career. But when she moved to Augusta, she didn鈥檛 realize she wanted to be a teacher. Instead, Garcia-Mitchell was an executive team leader at Target and enrolled in then-Augusta State University to seek a bachelor鈥檚 degree.

But, while at 黑料正能量, several friends and colleagues saw her enthusiasm for learning and suggested she should consider a career in teaching.

, now professor emeritus of Spanish at 黑料正能量, was Garcia-Mitchell鈥檚 advisor and she had a tremendous impact on her college career, Garcia-Mitchell said.

鈥淒uring my first year at 黑料正能量, I was placed in a learning support class because English was my second language and that experience was unbelievable,鈥 Garcia-Mitchell said. 鈥淒r. Sandarg taught me so much. She taught me how to academically write in English and she was always available 鈥 not just during her office hours, but any time I needed any additional help.鈥

鈥淚 remember, after I finished my first year at 黑料正能量, I took a communication class my second year and I got the highest grade in the class for my presentation, just because of what she taught me,鈥 she added. 鈥淚 was the only international student in that class, but I was completely prepared thanks to Dr. Sandarg.鈥

By 2011, Garcia-Mitchel earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in foreign language education at 黑料正能量. As a student, she was also awarded the Student Teacher of the Year Award by the Georgia Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese for 2011-12.

鈥淚 would highly recommend 黑料正能量 to anyone who is looking for a quality education at a school that can offer you a one-on-one experience with your professors,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he professors at AU really know your name and who you are.鈥

After graduating from 黑料正能量, Garcia-Mitchell taught Spanish at in Richmond County for five years, where she was also named the school鈥檚 Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year.

鈥淣ow at Greenbrier, I got the Teacher of the Year for a second time, so I guess I’m doing something right,鈥 Garcia-Mitchell said, laughing. 鈥淚t feels nice to be recognized.鈥

In 2019, Garcia-Mitchell transferred to Greenbrier High and began sponsoring the Multicultural Club which educates students about other cultures. In 2020, Garcia-Mitchell organized and presented her first Black History Program and, in May 2022, she was selected as 鈥淭he Most Influential Teacher鈥 by a former Butler High School student.

鈥淚 love teaching because I have the opportunity to impact children,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 have an opportunity to not聽only teach them Spanish, but I also teach them to dream. I teach them that there is an entire world out there and that there is more that the world has to offer than just their comfort zone. They need to expand their minds and see the world and learn about that world.鈥

Ameesha Butler 鈥 Westmont Elementary and Martinez Elementary

For the past six years, was a third-grade teacher at Westmont Elementary in Columbia County. Westmont, which opened its doors in 1970, is currently being rebuilt into a new state-of-the-art facility.

Therefore, Butler began this school year at where she has embraced her new coworkers and student body.

鈥淲hen I taught at Westmont, my favorite thing was the family that we鈥檇 built,鈥 Butler said. 鈥淲ith Westmont being such a small, neighborhood school, everyone knows everyone. Many of the students have parents and grandparents who attended Westmont decades ago. The closeness of it all really makes Westmont such a special place, unlike any other.

鈥淣ow that I鈥檓 at Martinez, the people still make it extremely special. I love my teammates. They’re phenomenal, dynamic educators and they champion me so loudly.鈥

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Ameesha Butler of Martinez Elementary School

Butler is also a proud 鈥渢riple Jag,鈥 having graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education, a master鈥檚 degree in education and an Educational Specialist in Advanced Educational Studies degree, all from 黑料正能量.

鈥淔or as long as I can remember, school is always something that鈥檚 come easy to me. I grew up with several teachers in my family,鈥 Butler said. 鈥淢y mother was a teacher. I also had phenomenal teachers from Pre-K through college. I can actually call them all by name.鈥

Initially, Butler considered becoming a biochemical engineer, but she soon realized that career wouldn鈥檛 fulfill her.

鈥淚 knew I wanted to do something that would make a significant impact on the world,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 knew I needed to run toward what I felt was calling me: teaching. Since deciding to 鈥榓nswer my calling,鈥 it’s been the most amazing journey. I guess you could call it kismet. I’m getting to do what I love and make a significant impact, just like I set out to do.鈥

Butler says she enjoys every aspect of teaching, from data collecting and goal setting to relationship building and creating engaging learning experiences for her students.

鈥淓very day is a brand-new day to make a difference for each of my 46 students,鈥 Butler said, adding that she鈥檚 honored to be one of the finalists for Teacher of the Year in Columbia County. 鈥淗onestly, this has been one of the most humbling, most amazing seasons of my career as a teacher.鈥

鈥淚 work with such incredible teachers who are absolutely role models for me, so this whole experience means so much to me,鈥 she added. 鈥淚t’s a blessing to know that your colleagues see the hard work and love you pour into your work and they recognize you for it. I’m just grateful.鈥

Butler believes the three degrees she received at 黑料正能量 prepared her well for the classroom.

鈥淭here are hours of in-person, in-field experiences from the very first moment that you express interest in becoming a teacher and I feel like that plays a role in the high-quality of teachers that AU is able to produce,鈥 Butler said. 鈥淚n fact, I was so well-prepared that I was actually hired for my first full-time teaching position on graduation day. I left the undergraduate classroom and moved into my very own classroom within a matter of days. Because AU prepared me so well, I aspire to be like the professors I had and one day teach future teachers.鈥

, media relations specialist for 黑料正能量 Communications and Marketing, contributed to this article.

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Written by
Stacey Eidson

Stacey Eidson is the communications and media relations strategist for External Relations at 黑料正能量. Contact her to schedule an interview on this topic or with one of our experts at 706-522-3023 or seidson@augusta.edu.

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Avatar photo Written by Stacey Eidson

Jagwire is your source for news and stories from 黑料正能量. Daily updates highlight the many ways students, faculty, staff, researchers and clinicians "bring their A games" in classrooms and clinics on four campuses in Augusta and locations across the state of Georgia.