Name: Danny Reed
School: Uniontown Elementary
Age: 25
High school alma mater: Lake High School
College: Walsh University
Family: David Reed (father), Julianne Reed (mother), Ryan Reed (brother), Jenna Reed (sister), Molly Brown (fiancé)
What subjects do you teach? First grade: Reading, math, writing, science, and social studies.
What is the best part of your job? I love having the ability to make a positive impact in the lives of the children I teach. The students are what make my job enjoyable. Each and every day is a new and exciting experience together which makes things fun. Seeing your students grow from the beginning of the year to the end is a remarkable feeling. I also love the people I work with. The support is unbelievable; they’re like family.
What is the most challenging part of your job? The most challenging part about teaching is the time and effort spent outside of the classroom when your workday is finished. As a teacher, you spend a lot of additional time planning and preparing on the weekends. Work never really stays at work when you teach. You’re constantly trying to reflect and better yourself so that you can help your students achieve more. This can be challenging at times, but rewarding to see your hard work pay off.
Is teaching kids the same today as when you first started? It’s the same in the sense that I still get excited and a bit nervous to meet my class at the beginning of the year. Each year is kind of like a new beginning, so you always want to make a great first impression and make sure your students have an awesome first day. The teaching aspect is different because you feel more comfortable with the curriculum and how to approach teaching each lesson. With familiarity comes an increase in confidence.
Your students would be surprised to know that you ... My students would be surprised to know that I’m getting married this summer. My students always think I am older than I actually am, or that I already have several kids.
What’s your hidden talent? Cooking
If you weren’t a teacher, you’d be doing what? I would probably be a police officer or nurse. Both of those jobs would be extremely challenging, but rewarding. I’d like having another job where I could try and help others or better my community. I have the upmost respect for both of those professions.
After a long day at work, what’s the best way to relax? Working out helps me relax and take my mind off things. Otherwise, I love watching the Cavs, Indians or Browns play. Tough year for my Browns, but there’s always next year.
Other nominations:
Alliance City
Stephanie McKnight, Alliance High School
Career tech sports medicine
Stephanie McKnight is a dedicated teacher who goes above and beyond for all students at Alliance High School. Whether she is raising money to fight pediatric cancer or promoting and celebrating random acts of kindness, she is driven to make an impact on our school and our community. Alliance High School and the community is lucky to have her on staff.
Tracy Bowser, Alliance Early Learning School
Kindergarten
Mrs. Bowser is an outstanding teacher. She packs an incredible amount of learning into each and every day.
Canton City
Jonathan Cordes, TECHS
English
Jonathan Cordes teaches college level English to Early College juniors and is commended by Stark State for doing an outstanding job with properly preparing our students for their senior language arts classes and his collaboration with Stark State English Department. Jon is also the advisor for The Early College Chapter for Ohio Model United Nation. In his three years the students have won several awards and honors for their participation.
Debby Franks, Allen Elementary Reading and Math Preparatory School
Kindergarten
A wise person once said, “A good teacher is like a candle ... it consumes itself to light the way for others.” Debby Franks is that teacher, as she constantly sacrifices her time and resources in order to better the lives of the students. Debby enters our school every day with a smile and positivity that is contagious. Her love of teaching and the deep love she has for her students is evident.
Canton Local
Allyson Ridenbaugh, Faircrest Middle School
Fifth-grade math and science
Allyson Ridenbaugh is a dedicated, warm, compassionate, enthusiastic and caring professional who works each day to unlock the learning potential of her students. A true Canton South Wildcat, Mrs. Ridenbaugh can be seen at ballgames, theater performances and special events, showing her students that she cares about them - inside and outside of school.
Mrs. Megan Fricke, Canton South High School
Ninth-grade science and College Credit Plus physics, cheer advisor, lead homecoming advisor
Fricke helps develop her student’s ability to be organized, study and take notes at the high school level. Her work teaching and mentoring students has gained her the respect of the entire student body as well as that of her fellow staff members.
Fairless Local
Christina Giauque, Fairless Elementary
Fourth-grade math
She has been a leader for her teaching team and in math. She continues to grow and bring more technology into her classroom to make learning fun and engaging.
Jackson Local
Suzanne Walters, Strausser
K-5 general music
Mrs. Walter's philosophy every person is a singer shines through in her daily general music instruction. In addition to her full-time K-5 teaching responsibilities, Suzanne volunteers her time, weekly, to conduct a 100-plus member choir comprised of students in third, fourth and fifth grades. Spreading joy through music is her passion.
Lake Local
Kristy Howard, Lake High School
Science and inclusion classrooms
Kristy Howard does an exceptional job teaching science in both a regular and inclusion classroom setting. As a special education teacher in our district, Kristy establishes high expectations for both academic performance and behavior from each of her students, using well organized lessons, excellent communication skills and a compassionate approach to help each person who enters her classroom to reach and often exceed his or her potential. Kristy is an advocate for her students and does not hesitate to take time out of her busy schedule or extend her day to spend the necessary time to take a student to a higher level.
Louisville City
Sam Houmard, Louisville High School
Multiple Disabilities (special education) teacher
Ms. Houmard is in her first year of teaching at Louisville High School. She brings enthusiasm, professionalism and a caring attitude to all her special needs students. Her great personality and patience with her students is unmatched. Sam's students thrive in her teaching environment by learning every day living skills. Students provide lunches for the staff on Fridays, take a variety of field trips while learning life skills and have odd jobs around the high school, just to name a few. Her nurturing behavior helps these students be successful at Louisville High School.
Marlington Local
Heather Hall, Marlboro Elementary School
First grade
Heather Hall has been a dedicated employee for 22 years, while also being a life-long resident of Marlington. The number of lives Heather has touched in a positive way over the years is immeasurable. She has helped countless students learn to read, learn their math facts and modeled how to be a good friend. Her caring and dedicated approach is evident daily and greatly appreciated by the families she has worked with over the years. We very much appreciate your commitment to making Marlington a great place for our families.
Tiffany Woods, Marlington High School
Horticulture
Mrs. Tiffany Woods’ passion for her students and the horticulture industry are contagious to our staff, teachers and community members. Each year Mrs. Woods not only teachers her students skills for the horticulture industry, but she also teaches them important resume-building and on-the-job skills that will serve them long after high school. Tiffany puts all of her students through a rigorous job interview session with local community leaders serving as the interviewers. Mrs. Woods is a great asset to our career tech program and high school teaching staff.
Northwest Local
Zach Meissner, Northwest Middle School
Physical education
Zach has taken physical education to a new level at Northwest Middle. He encourages everyone to participate in learning activities that help students learn important life long practices. Zach is also the high school wrestling coach and you will often find Zach at all other athletic events encouraging students.
Regina McCulligan, Stinson Elementary
Fourth-grade teacher
Regina incorporates many interesting and innovative activities in her classroom. Students are often working in groups, moving around the room and solving problems. Regina is also a great mentor for colleagues.
Osnaburg Local
Sharon Griffith, East Canton Elementary
Math
Mrs. Sharon Griffith has been a teacher at East Canton Elementary for 30 years. Currently, Mrs. Griffith teaches fourth- and fifth-grade math along with home tutoring. She has completely dedicated herself to the students, school and staff. Sharon will do anything she can to help our school family and our community. Her classroom is full of energy, learning and laughter.
Rick Landon, East Canton High School
Biology and anatomy
Rick is a dedicated teacher. He is the first to arrive every day. He shows kindness and compassion for students. Rick also leads our Fellowship of Christian Athletes group.
Perry Local
Jami Eshleman, Watson Elementary
Kindergarten
Mrs. Eshleman exhibits such patience, love and true excellence on a daily basis. Working with kindergarten students takes a special person. There is no doubt that Mrs. Eshleman fits that description. Her students and our building are so fortunate that she joined our team this year. Perry Pride is within her.
Karen Martin, Edison Middle School
Music Teacher
Karen Martin is a highly dedicated teacher who works hard with the seventh- and eighth-grade band students at Edison Middle School. The growth we see in our band students from the time they start with Mrs. Martin until they leave us for the high school is truly amazing. She maintains high expectations and the students rise to meet them. Her knowledge and expertise have been reflected in various honors and awards she has earned, but even more important is that our students and parents adore her. She has excellent rapport with our students and they in turn put forth the effort needed to be successful.
Sandy Valley Local
Suzanne Kail, Sandy Valley High School
Language arts department head, College Credit Plus Composition
Suzanne Kail is an exemplary educator who, in addition to her teaching load, is the junior varsity and varsity cheerleading coach. Students comment regularly they are ready for college due to Mrs. Kail's expertise. We are lucky to have her.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Jared Schweninger, St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School
Math and STEM
Mr. Schweninger is a positive role model for his students at St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School. He has taught math over the past several years, but took on additional responsibilities to teach Social Studies and develop a new STEM program for the seventh and eighth grades. Additionally, Mr. Schweninger coaches girls basketball and baseball. He is always willing to do what is asked of him to make St. Thomas Aquinas a better school for his students.
Tuslaw Local
Matt Christine, Tuslaw High School
Physical science
Matt Christine has been nominated as Tuslaw High School’s Teacher of the Month. Mr. Christine teaches physical science, environmental science and astronomy. In addition he has coached football for the past several years as well. Mr. Christine has an infectious personality that the students love. He is always the first to participate in school spirit days and has a reputation of going above and beyond to make his students laugh. In the classroom, Matt delivers a quality education that prepares our students for upper level high school and college courses. We are blessed to have Matt working at the high school.