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.
When Speller 147, Adom Appiah, reached out to us about a teacher who made a profound impact on his life, we knew we wanted to include her in our very last Teacher Feature of the 2017-2018 school year!
Today we are highlighting the work of Sonia LeCroy, a former third grade teacher at Spartanburg Day School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Spartanburg Day School is a part of the USC Upstate Foundation spelling bee program.
Mrs. LeCroy was the first to initiate the spelling bee program for third graders at her school, and Adom credits this initiative and her classroom environment for sending him on the path to spelling success. She even had him watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee when he had doubts about boys being able to spell! Adom says she was the first teacher to encourage him to aspire to greater academic goals, and he is "too thankful for words." She supports all of her students in myriad ways, helping them improve spelling and vocabulary skills while encouraging them to learn about the world through research and writing.
But the encouragement didn't end when Adom left Mrs. LeCroy's classroom four years ago. Upon hearing of his big win at the USC Upstate Foundation's regional spelling bee, she immediately sent him this message:
"I'm sooooo proud of you! Just heard the results of the Spelling Bee broadcast on this evening's Channel 7 news. Way to go, Adom! I am thrilled to know you are quite ably fulfilling your potential by challenging yourself and continually striving to do your best."
The Scripps National Spelling Bee would like to thank Mrs. LeCroy for encouraging Adom and all of her students to reach their full potential through learning. We're proud to honor a teacher who looks out for her students even after they leave the classroom.
Thanks for nominating teachers from your area for the Bee's "Teacher Feature." We'll be back in August with more inspiring stories of educators making a difference in the lives of their students!