Each month Matt Kolezar, our Michigan state representative, awards a teacher of the month. This February, our very own Mrs. O’Dell was awarded ‘Teacher of the Month’! Teachers of the month are nominated by community members. Mrs. O’Dell was nominated, “by a parent because she awakens a love for reading and writing in her students and cares so much about them!”

Mr. Smiley, Mrs. Kulczycki, Mrs. Rapson and the state representative presented the award to Mrs. O’Dell at the beginning of the second hour. They confused Mrs. O’Dell and the entire class with the unexpected honor. That was the first time Mrs. O’Dell has heard about the award.

Mrs. O’Dell describes her reaction as, “a complete shock … but after that shock … I was really grateful and kind of proud of myself for it.” Mrs. O’Dell says, “It actually feels amazing to be recognized like that, and in a job where you don’t get awards like that, so the fact someone felt enough of me, like as a teacher and my teaching style, to even just nominate me is something that I will remember for the rest of my teaching career.” Mrs. O’Dell teaches sixth and seventh grade English Language Arts. 

West seventh-grader Marie Grahor describes Mrs.O’Dell as, “really kind, compassionate and she is really good at teaching.” Grahor also likes how good Mrs. O’Dell is keeping her class on track. Grahor concludes, “I was really surprised, I thought it was really cool … and I think she deserves it.”