The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce honored Teachers of the Year Thursday from Poplar Bluff School District, Westwood Baptist Academy and Three Rivers College.
The Teachers of the Year are chosen from a span of teachers representing each level of education. This year’s awardees were Christine Walker of Poplar Bluff Oak Grove Elementary, Hilary Taylor of Poplar Bluff Junior High School, Andrea Cox of Poplar Bluff Senior High School and Angie Morris of Westwood Baptist Academy, as well as Steve Lewis and adjunct Sheri Mitchell of Three Rivers College. Individual Poplar Bluff R-I honorees were Sharon Burkey, Jennifer Cheek, Dana Michelle Adams, Hannah Tooman, Alecia Bacon, Taytem Lorenzana, Steven Layman and Donna Tribble. Each teacher nominated represents the Teacher of the Year for their campus at R-I.
Cox has also been nominated for the next level of recognition, District Teacher of the Year. She recalled her reaction to the news was surprise and excitement.
“There’s so many people that do such a great job in our district, it’s very humbling,” she said.
Cox is an East Carter High School graduate who earned her bachelor’s degree in education at Southeast Missouri State University and her master’s in education — administration at Williams Woods University. She has spent 20 years in education, first at South Center Missouri Community Action Agency Head Start, then at Three Rivers College and the East Carter School District, before joining the Poplar Bluff School District. She currently teaches Family and Consumer Science courses centered around the kitchen: basic foods, advanced foods, cultures & cuisines and baking & pastries.
Cox enjoys teaching because she loves the camaraderie in the classroom and watching her students celebrate their accomplishments.
“When my students cook in the kitchens, I get this sense of pride from them. They’re really proud of what they do in there and they’re proud of their product... And you see a confidence in them in those kitchens, whereas in a normal academic setting, that you wouldn’t see,” she said in an interview for the banquet.
Her students often share their cooking with teachers, and Cox shares photos of their dishes online.
She condensed her years of experience into words of advice to teachers: be consistent, exercise honesty and openness with students and try not to take things personally. Acting out is almost always due to circumstances outside class, she said, not the teacher. Most importantly, teachers must keep perspective and know a bad day does not define their value in the classroom.“Know that you’re enough... Just know that you being there and your (being) consistent for those kids is enough,” she urged.
Cox has served with many community organizations over the year, and she is currently a member of the Ellsinore Ball Park Committee, Redbird Pack Committee, Thanksgiving Dinner Committee, Christmas Dinner Committee and Ellsinore Pioneer Museum Committee.
She lives in Ellsinore with her husband and has one daughter. Her hobbies include camping, admiring flowers and refinishing furniture.
The event was announced by R-I Superintendent Scott Dill and Chamber President Steve Halter.
Dill said he was especially grateful for the opportunity to honor teachers this year.
“How amazing it is to come together every year, but particularly this year, to honor the best in this particular profession... Teachers in this community have given their utmost and highest in the course of a difficult school year,” he said.
Halter praised Poplar Bluff’s schools, from elementary all the way up to Three Rivers College, as exceptional.
“I truly applaud all the educators in our community,” Halter stated.
This year’s banquet was sponsored by Sterling Bank, Baldwin Ford, Briggs & Stratton, Cane Creek Stone, Castello’s Italian Restaurant, Colton’s Steak House, FCC Behavioral Health, First Midwest Bank, Gregory Logistics, Jeweler’s Bench, Kraft, Miles & Tatum, Larry Hillis Dodge, Legacy Marketing, McLane Transportation, Mid-Continent Steel & Wire, Richard & Claire Landers, Sparklight, The Dermatology Office and Three Rivers College.