Behind every great student is a great teacher. These teachers make learning fun by thinking outside the box and creating classroom experiences that resonate with their students. They serve many roles in their schools, as spelling coaches, school bee coordinators and judges; more often than not, they are motivators who encourage their students to be the best they can be. In the “Teacher Feature,” we celebrate these educators and their commitment to their students' education.
For over twenty-five years, Friends' School in Boulder, Colorado has been a place of learning, community and friendship for students in preschool through sixth grade. One member of the faculty in particular has the opportunity to touch the lives of children in each of these years. As the school's librarian and technology specialist, Ms. Deana Waters uses her interactions with all of the students to promote the importance of spelling and vocabulary, and she incorpates technology to build excitement for learning.
Laurie Nakauchi, a kindergarten teacher at Friends' School, believes Ms. Waters deserves recognition for her dedication to the students and her fellow teachers at the school. As the technology specialist, she leads teacher trainings around new technologies, helping teachers learn how to emphasize subjects like spelling through computers and software programs. She also provides technology support for teachers throughout the school year.
As the co-leader of the Friends' School after school spelling bee club, Ms. Nakauchi knows just how much Ms. Waters does for the students both during and following the school day. She teaches library skills and technology classes to all of the different grade levels. Then, once the day officially ends, she runs various extracurricular activities for students, such as the school's geography bee.
Her dedication to the spelling bee, however, is truly admirable. Ms. Waters doesn't just encourage students to enhance their spelling skills during the school day and in her after school spelling bee club sessions; she also heads up the school spelling bee competition and helps the school's winner prepare for the district spelling bee. For the 2014-2015 school year, the Friends' School champion was nine-year-old Cameron Keith, who went on to win the Barnes and Noble final local spelling bee and become the youngest speller at the 2015 national finals. Ms. Waters was instrumental in preparing Cameron for the Bee, and she also helped the school celebrate their champion by arranging for the entire school to watch the broadcast live on ESPN and creating banners to welcome him home.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee would like to thank Ms. Waters for helping students and teachers connect the dots between technology and learning. She puts in the extra hours to enhance her students' school experiences, and we have no doubt that students, parents and her fellow teachers benefit from her giving spirit.
If you would like to nominate an educator for an upcoming “Teacher Feature,” let us know. Simply fill out your contact information, then nominate a teacher on the following page.