Ivan Hepworth of Nimitz Senior High School and Shirley Willingham of Houston Academy were named Aldine ISDs Teachers of the Year during the districts annual Teacher of the Year Breakfast, held Friday, April 4, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Hepworth was named AISDs Secondary Teacher of the Year, while Willingham was named the districts Elementary/Intermediate Teacher of the Year.
The two were selected from six finalists chosen for the prestigious award by a committee of fellow teachers, administrators and community members.
The four other finalists were Carrie Schultz-Sellers of Johnson Elementary School, Wanda Woods of Hill Intermediate School, Edward Brimer of Grantham Academy and Sharon Kay Carlson of Lane School.
Hepworth, Willingham, the four finalists and each campus Teacher of the Year, were also honored by a number of North Houston/Greenspoint area businesses that donated gifts to them.
Continental Airlines presented Hepworth and Willingham each with two first-class round trip tickets to anywhere Continental Airlines flies in the continental United States. Halliburton presented the two winners with $600 each, while InvesTex Credit Union presented the two winners with $100 each.
The DoubleTree Hotel at Intercontinental Airport presented Hepworth and Willingham each with a complimentary weekend night stay for two, while the Houston Astros provided each of the winners with an Astros baseball cap.
The two winners also each received a $100 American Express gift card from North Houston Bank, while Charles Christiansen and the Main Event in The Woodlands awarded Hepworth and Willingham with two tickets each to the Houston Family Arts Center valued at $50 and each received a $25 gift certificate from the Downtown Tomball Merchants Association.
The two winners also each received four season passes to SplashTown and Greenspoint Mall awarded the two winners a $100 gift card. The Houston Rockets provided each winner with a Rockets backpack and T-shirt, while Lunas Mexican Restaurant awarded each winner with two complimentary dinner gift certificates.
The North Houston Greenspoint Chamber of Commerce awarded Hepworth and Willingham with two complimentary tickets to the Houston Laff Stop.
The four finalists each received $100 American Express gift cards from North Houston Bank, two complimentary tickets to Splash Town, while the Houston Astros awarded the finalists players cards autographed by Brandon Backe and Chris Sampson and Astros baseball caps. The North Houston Sheraton Hotel presented each of the finalists with a weekend nights stay, including breakfast for two, while Greenspoint Mall awarded the four finalists each with a $50 gift card.
The Houston Rockets presented each finalist with a backpack and T-shirt, while InvesTex Credit Union awarded each of the finalists $100. The Holiday Inn Houston Intercontinental Hotel presented each of the finalists with a complimentary weekend nights stay and breakfast for two.
Hepworth said he believes it is his duty to give his students his best each and every day while teaching.
I believe all children can learn and they have the right to my absolute best effort, he said. I stay current on the latest theories and philosophies of education and keep students from being bored. Most importantly, I care about my students.
Willingham said she enjoys getting the best out of her students and challenging them each and every day in the classroom.
I dont only teach the basics, but I also challenge students to think, to reason, and to solve problems independently. I empower students by giving them opportunities to make decisions about what they will learn and how they will learn.
Lisa Edwards, Title I program director, chaired the Teacher of the Year Committee. Her co-chairman was Maggie Doran, program director of elementary language arts. The committee consisted of: Carrie Durley, executive director of human resources, Richard Woods of Conley Elementary School, Evelyn Hempy of Stovall Middle School, Mary Neeley Stevens of Carter Academy, Julie Mata of deSantiago EC/Pre-K Center, Valerie Sutton of Hambrick Middle School, and parent representative Dawn Lara.