It’s that time of year again for us to recognize those unsung heroes in our children’s lives! Last week, we opened it up to the community to nominate their favorite teacher for the second annual Carter & Higgins Orthodontics Teacher Appreciation Contest. We received over 140 nominations, and it is clear we have some wonderful teachers in Tulsa!
Thank you so much to everyone who shared their stories of a deserving teacher. After reading some wonderful submissions, we narrowed it down to 5 finalists. Now it is time for YOU to choose the winner of the Carter & Higgins Orthodontics Teacher Appreciation Contest! The first place teacher will win a $500 grand prize, and their class also gets a special pizza party. The second place teacher will win $300, and the third place teacher will win $150.
Read more about each teacher below, then submit your vote below or on our Facebook page. Voting is open until midnight on Friday, May 4, and our winners will be announced on Teacher Appreciation Day- Tuesday, May 8!
Courtney Daramus- Union Schools, Darnaby Elementary
Ms. Daramus was nominated by 30 individuals in the community! Here are just a few of the wonderful things they had to say about her.
“Courtney has a passion for teaching. She always puts her students first.”
“Courtney is an not only an outstanding teacher but an amazing person who truly loves and cares for her students! She gives so much of herself to everyone in need! She has a heart of gold and it shows in all that she does! Her students are blessed to have her as a teacher! I am blessed to know her!”
“Ms. Daramus is one of most caring and loving teachers any child could ask for! She continually goes the extra mile to make certain her students know that they are special and can do anything they desire in life! She is shaping young minds in such a positive way! Ms Daramus is by far the most qualified teacher to win this contest! I love her dearly & so does her students and coworkers! She is the best!”
“She has a great love for her students and her job. She always goes above and beyond. Gives of her own time to attend students birthday parties and sporting events.”
“Her dedication and love for her students is unparalleled. She is the perfect example of a committed teacher. She teaches her students respect for others and leads by example.”
Julie Treat- Lee Elementary
Ms. Treat was nominated by 5 individuals in the community! Here are just a few of the wonderful things they had to say about her.
“We have never had a teacher quite like Julie Treat. Her professionalism, drive, and focus for the preparation to the state testing was never shadowed by her self care she showed for her students and that alone is a quality that most teachers do not possess. It is extremely difficult to have a child with special needs and it takes a special teacher to make that child successful. She is the best teacher by far from Lee!”
“Mrs. Treat is an amazing teacher. She not only puts in full effort to individually work with the kids & understand their different personalities & learning styles she teams up with parents & has great communication with them to ensure each student is getting what they need in order to work towards their success. She is kind & fair & truly cares about her students & their education. Can not say enough positive about her to give her credit. She is GREAT!!!!!”
“Mrs. Treat is an amazing teacher. She is able to meet 20+ kids at each of their individual levels and help them improve!! No small task for 3rd grade! She has taught 2 of my kids and both have not only improved by great strides but their confidence sky rocketed with all the love and attention she gave them!”
“Mrs. Treat always goes the extra mile for her students. She is dedicated to her craft and believes that all students can learn.”
“She is really kind. She is really patient and helps us when needed. She wants us to succeed and go on to the 4th grade. Her previous students always come back to visit, which shows what an impact she makes on her students. She can handle a lot of taking all day from her students. “-Robby age 9
Patrick Martin- St. Peter & Paul Catholic School
Mr. Martin was nominated by Adriana Suazo
“I would love to nominate Mr. Martin, our school principal. He is more than a principal, he also teaches 6th to 8th grade when needed, he is our school athletic director, accountant, administration, he is a man of thousand hats. Mr. Martin loves and cares for each and every one of our students and families knows everyone by name and family history. He makes us all feel like we are a big family and at home. I have never met another teacher, principal or person like him. I hope he wins because he deserves it and works so hard for our school. Thank you!!”
Genean Stuttley – Hamilton Elementary
Ms. Stuttley was nominated by Pamela Reich
“Ms. Stuttley is my daughter’s 1st grade teacher she is amazing with all the 1st graders she works with. She keeps them engaged in the lesson during the day with different activities. She understands it’s hard for kids to sit still for long periods of times so she will give them breaks where they get to and dance to GoNoodle. She helps the children study for spelling test in other teachers classes because she knows how important reading is. She’s bilingual so she can communicate with a majority of the Spanish speaking population we have at the school. She takes her classes out to help clean up the area around the school while helping the kids understand that it’s important to keep the earth clean and recycle. There’s not 1 co worker or parent who wouldn’t agree that she’s definitely the Deserving Teacher. .. #HamFam supports Ms. Stuttley 100%.”
Amanda Wheaton- Jenks Middle School
Ms. Wheaton was nominated by Garrett Painter
“I’d like to nominate Ms Wheaton who teaches symphony at the Middle school. She is so encouraging and patient. She knows each of us and helps us grow at our own pace. When I was the one with more experience at the start of the year instead of making me wait as the rest caught up she gave me separate work to keep me stimulated. When I had some issues at school she personally spent time with me, made sure I was included and made sure I never missed playing. She has encouraged me to join the Chamber symphony in high school and has taken personal attention to be sure I submitted my application right. She is a great teacher (my favorite) and a great musician.”
