BUCKHANNON – Upshur County’s own Erin Anderson was declared the West Virginia Teacher of the Year for 2021.
Fifth-grade Tennerton Elementary school teacher Erin Anderson earned the title of West Virginia Teacher of the Year during the West Virginia Teacher of the Year and School Service Personnel Employee of the Year Virtual Recognition celebration Tuesday night, Sept. 29.
“I think I’m a lot like most teachers: I like to plan and organize, I love when a lesson goes as planned, I like to laminate and decorate, I put off grading papers that are hard to grade, and I like it when I can get through a whole lesson without someone asking me to use the bathroom,” Anderson said with a smile.
Anderson was among five nominees from different counties across the state.
“I like Pinterest and Teachers Pay Teachers and asking the teacher across the hall for advice,” Anderson said. “I like old school, but pandemic school is growing on me. I’ve been thinking about this moment and what sets me apart, and I couldn’t come up with anything by myself because I’m pretty ordinary, so I’ve been listening to my friends and coworkers and family, and what they say about me.”
Anderson will start her tenure as Teacher of the Year Jan. 1, 2021.
“Apparently, my kids love me, and I sure do love them – even the tough classes, especially the tough classes,” Anderson said. “My friends say I’m motivating and patient and my coworkers say, ‘I hope you win because you represent real teachers; you’re going to win.’ My family says, ‘you deserve this,’ and my mom says, ‘it’s about time.’ My former students say that my room smells good and brings back good memories.”
“My former teachers say they’re proud of me,” she added. “My God says, ‘use your voice,’ so I’m going to even though it’s cracking right now.”
Anderson said she hopes to represent other teachers and thanked all the people in her life.
“I am so proud to be the 2021 Teacher of the Year for West Virginia. I will be an ambassador for real teachers. This is unbelievable,” Anderson said. “Thank you to my support system, past and present in attendance tonight and those listening from home. My watch is going crazy; I know you guys are texting me, and I will get to you, I promise. I love my family. I love my rock star friends; I love my coworkers. Thank you to the teacher of the year program for believing in me. Let’s do this!”
West Virginia State Schools Superintendent Clayton Burch asked Anderson what it was like to return to her classroom Sept. 8, after being gone for five months.
“I felt like I was me again,” Anderson replied. “I talked with you yesterday about the identity that teachers have, and we needed our people in front of us, and when we got our people in front of us, our school was just this bright shining spot – I’m sure we could see it from satellites,” Anderson said. “Our kids were so excited. They had their little masks on; they were just so thankful to be in school.”
In addition to the $5,000 Horace Mann grant, Anderson will receive a $5,000 grant from Highmark West Virginia, a $300 classroom grant from the West Virginia lottery, a new Toyota vehicle to drive during her tenure, a Blenko suncatcher and she will also receive a Microsoft Surface Pro and keyboard and Dell computer provided by the West Virginia Department of education to use in her classroom.
Stephanie Bennett, coordinator of services and payroll supervisor in Upshur County, was also a finalist for West Virginia School Service Personnel Employee of the Year. That award went to Susan Kirkpatrick, a bus operator from Gilmer County.
