‘The heart of our school.’ Manatee district honors top teacher, support employee

Wednesday marked a celebration of local educators and all the people who support them.

The Excellence in Education Awards was alive with student performances and heartfelt speeches, all under the roof of Manatee Technical College, off State Road 70 East. In the end, one teacher and one support employee walked away with the highest honor and $5,000 each.

“It’s unfortunate that we could only give out two big checks and two big awards, because that’s what you see each and every day when you send children to our schools,” said Superintendent Cynthia Saunders, praising the award nominees.

Last year’s top support employee, Amanda Keeney, approached the podium and wasted no time, opening an envelope and revealing the school district’s 2020 Support Employee of the Year.

Alison Cooper, the attendance clerk at Annie Lucy Williams Elementary School, accepted the honor on Wednesday evening.

She took a deep breath and a mental image of the ceremony: all of the balloons, the fanfare and the sight of her own picture at the entrance.

“What an honor this has been,” she said. “They make you feel like a celebrity.”

With the support of her family, coworkers and students, Cooper said she arrives to school with a purpose each day. As an elementary campus, parents are often sending their kids to school for the first time, and Cooper hopes to make them feel comfortable.

Cooper dedicated the award to everyone at Williams Elementary. She collaborates with other employees — her teammates — to make the school a welcoming place for students and families, and to make a positive difference in their lives.

“Even if it’s just a hug to a student in the morning or a smile to a new family walking in,” she said.

As someone who works in the front office, Cooper is often the first person to greet visitors. Her positivity and hard work is contagious, Principal Connie Dixon said, speaking in a prerecorded video.

“She’s the heart of Williams,” the principal said. “From her face and from her welcoming attitude and greetings, you feel the heart of our school.”

Last year’s top educator, Debra Hartline, then announced her successor. The 2020 Educator of the Year was Faith Bench, a mathematics teacher at Braden River Middle School, in Bradenton.

She thanked all of her supporters, including her parents, who traveled from Pennsylvania to attend the ceremony. Bench also praised her fellow teachers.

Whether it be a teacher down the hall, a colleague across town or a blog post from someone across the country, Bench is always seeking inspiration. While students learn from educators, the teachers learn from each other, she concluded.

“Teaching is not a job we do alone,” Bench said “We do it in partnership, and I could not have asked for better partners in my career.”

In a video recorded before the ceremony, Principal Kimberlain Zenon-Richardson described the teacher as engaging and fun. She said Bench gave her students individual attention and learned about their unique needs.

It was a former student who nominated Bench for the award, and she ended Wednesday’s speech with a message to her classroom.

“To my little sweet potatoes, thank you for coming into class every day with a smile on your face and love in your heart,” she said.

Every school and support building nominated an employee for the annual award. A selection committee — including educators, support staff, district administrators and local business partners — then chose eight finalists.

Their efforts culminated in Wednesday’s ceremony, which was supported by the Manatee Education Foundation and several community sponsors.

“It’s lots of fun to recognize very deserving individuals who make a difference in the lives of our students each and every day,” said Genelle Yost, the deputy superintendent of instruction.

Cooper and Bench are now qualified for statewide recognition through the Florida Department of Education, which honors one teacher and one support employee each year.

At the ceremony, Suncoast Credit Union presented both winners with a giant $5,000 check.

“We are all here tonight, not just to honor our finalists, but all of the employees across the school district who were nominated and selected by their peers, students and parents as winners,” said Kevin Chapman, a district leader and Wednesday’s master of ceremonies.

This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 7:14 AM with the headline "‘The heart of our school.’ Manatee district honors top teacher, support employee."