Do you have what it takes?

Kayla is a third grade teacher at Creative Technologies Academy (CTA), a K-12 charter school in Cedar Springs, Michigan. CTA emphasizes small, intimate classrooms, the integration of technology, as well as an emphasis on character and leadership. Kayla was named one of Michigan's top five charter school educators in 2018, in part because of her innovation in the classroom. Over the last few years, Kayla's students regularly hit their yearly learning goals in just a few months. 

Last year, she developed a reading project for her students in response to testing data that reflected some gaps in understanding. Her students were transformed into "reading spies," who each day added 'tools' (like inferring, including text clues, etc.) to their reading skills toolbox to help them eventually write an engaged reading summary. 

Kristina is a third grade teacher at Trillium Academy, a K-12 charter school in Taylor, Michigan. Trillium puts a big focus on college-focused academics, community engagement and the arts. Last year, Kristina was named the 2018 Michigan Charter School Teacher of the Year thanks to her creative teaching strategies and the big success it's brought to her students. 

Each year, Kristina creates original songs and dances to help her students put some fun into learning. The results: her students beat the state average math and reading scores by more than 10 points. Kristina also lends her creative skills by running the school's junior show choir and the Walk for Wishes fundraiser.

Emily is a virtual elementary teacher and mentor with Michigan International Prep School (MIPS), a K-12 virtual charter school that also features brick and mortar Learning Labs in four locations across the state. MIPS serves students of varying backgrounds, but many who struggle with rural poverty, bullying, a need for a flexible school schedule and other learning challenges. 

As a virutal teacher and mentor, Emily engages with her students primarily online through one-on-one support meetings and general assignments, but also gets to meet them face-to-face during fieldtrips and via the Learning Labs. For her, the virtual aspect of her job makes personalized learning and relationship building even more accessible, and she feels she is better able to address individual student needs at a high level. 

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Joe is a middle school social studies teacher at Honey Creek Community School, a K-8 charter school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Honey Creek emphasizes project-based learning, community involvement and multi-age learning. Recently, Joe created a trade and bartering simulation project to help students understand a unit on homelessness and poverty. Students ranging from fourth through sixth grade participated in the trade simulation, ultimately collecting items to actually donate to the local homeless shelter. 

Last year, Joe was named one of Michigan's top five charter school teachers, largely due to the creative "real-life" projects he employs to help his students understand broader social concepts. On recent MSTEP social studies tests, his students scored 30 points higher than state average, as well as six points higher than the local school district. 

Jennifer is a third grade teacher at Woodland Park Academy (WPA), a K-8 charter school in Grand Blanc, Michigan. WPA offers a strong emphasis on the fine arts, and happens to serve one of the most diverse student populations in the state. Jennifer's tenacity and passion for continued growth in her career has helped her become a highly successful teacher, implementing an effective plan for student achievement in compliance with the Third Grade Reading Law. 

Leading regular data meetings with parents on their student's reading proficiency, she helps parents implement reading support at home to supplement what they're learning at school. Her students see high annual growth rates of nearly 150%. 

Molly is the student wellness coach for Richfield Public School Academy, a grade 3-8 charter school in Flint, Michigan. Serving a nearly 100% high-trauma student population, Richfield emphasizes serving the 'whole student,' with social and emotional support, as well as physical wellness support systems. In partnership with the University of Michigan, Richfield recently opened a school-based health center, which provides many of the same benefits as a primary care physician, but without the hassle or costs for parents. With proper consent forms, students can receive immunizations, sports physicals, regular check-ups, and evaluations for illnesses like strep throat and the flu.

While the school-based health center has made huge strives for students who had little to no access to health services, Molly's role is to help them emotionally deal with trauma - especially given that many of her students suffer from undiagnosed PTSD. This allows her to help work through negative behaviors that might be completely unrelated to school, and entirely related to the trauma occuring in their lives. 

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