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.
Central Florida Leadership Academy is a public charter school located in sunny Orlando, Florida. The school is comprised of grades 6 through 12, and one of its high school level teachers, Ms. Melissa Lengler, is the subject of this week's "Teacher Feature." Although Ms. Lengler works with older students on a day-to-day basis, she is able to connect with students of all ages due to her dedication to the school and its various extracurricular activities.
According to Tiffany Ward, the principal of Central Florida Leadership Academy who nominated this week's featured teacher, Ms. Lengler wears multiple hats as a part of the CFLA faculty. Her main job, however, is to teach language arts to students in ninth through twelfth grade. She covers a variety of levels in her courses, from standard to Advanced Placement, and she even teaches a drama class. Ms. Lengler's course schedule only begins to cover everything that she does for the students who attend Central Florida Leadership Academy. For instance, Ms. Lengler is the testing coordinator for the entire school, and she also oversees Exceptional Student Education and English for Speakers of Other Languages compliance.
Mrs. Ward believes that Ms. Lengler is the kind of teacher who is truly passionate about helping her students. "She will come in early and stay late to work with them," the principal said. She also constantly thinks of ways to engage them in language arts lessons, including using vocabulary in her bellwork each day. Since she works with high school students on a daily basis, Ms. Lengler makes a point to talk to her students about higher education. Mrs. Ward says that Ms. Lengler doesn't just encourage her students to go to college, she models the way in her own personal life. Ms. Lengler just graduated from the University of Central Florida with a master's degree, and she continually adds to her teacher certifications.
Although Ms. Lengler works primarily with high school students, she makes time for the younger students at CFLA who are eligible to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee program. In fact, Ms. Lengler is involved in planning and overseeing her school's spelling bee, and she also serves as a judge during the bee. Through this role and her other positions within the school, she gets to know the younger students and begins to have a positive impact on their lives before she ever teaches them in the classroom.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee would like to thank Ms. Lengler for her commitment to teaching language arts concepts to all of the students at CFLA and not only the ones assigned to her classroom. By getting involved in various areas of her school, she is able to help the greatest number of students possible.
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.