FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Five Broward teachers from different walks of life were all led to the same place — the classroom.
The five classroom contenders and their work has them up for Teacher of the Year.
Students get a hands-on science lesson in Seema Naik’s class at Eagle Ridge Elementary School.
Naik is one of five finalists for Broward County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.
The winner will be announced on Friday.
Naik started her journey in education 10 years ago and shares her love for STEM in her classes.
“That’s what’s going to help this world. We need these future engineers and inventors and scientists,” she said.
Esther Charles, a literacy coach at Sheridan Technical High School, also prepares kids for the future.
She said her 18 years at BCPS has helped her connect with her students.
“Starting at the tender age of 21 has really helped me be able to determine what my teaching method would be,” she said. “This is something I truly, truly doing, especially with the younger generation.”
Jeannie Krouch, a gifted and high achieving teacher at Westchester Elementary, also uses hands-on learning in her lessons.
As an educator for 20 years, she hopes to encourage her students to be passionate about school itself.
“Making sure that the classroom is an exciting place to be so they want to learn and they learn to love school and it really starts at this level so that when they go up to fourth grade and middle school and high school, they have that foundation of just loving learning.”
Also in the running is Elizabeth Fahy, who has been at New River Middle for 17 years.
As the head of the Marine Science department, she hopes her passion for ocean sciences will inspire her students.
“I want these kids in South Florida, where the ocean is our backyard, to have a real interest in conservation and many of them really do,” she said. “They know they’re the future for our planet.”
Another department head is in the mix, Brandon Forbes, who teaches English and Language Arts at Hallandale High.
Forbes has only been teaching for four years but has already formed a strong connection with his school and students.
“I think Hallandale is the hidden gem of Broward County,” he said. “I think we have some amazing students. I couldn’t have done any of this. What I do everyday, I don’t take that for granted.”
BCPS will hold their Teacher of the Year Awards ceremony Friday at 6 p.m. at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
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