With cake and ice cream donated from her brother and mother, who also came to visit, Ameesha Butler, Columbia County’s Teacher of the Year hosted a party for her students so they could celebrate her accomplishment as a class. Butler said her brother even played some fun science games with her students who convinced him to return next month for another visit.
Butler was named teacher of the year at a banquet Wednesday and celebrated Thursday.
As a reward for winning the new honorary title, Butler was also awarded a new BMW M series SUV which she drove around the school parking lot as teachers, administrators and some students waved with excitement.
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Butler taught at Westmont Elementary prior to the facility’s temporary closure for reconstruction, but is now at Martinez Elementary School during the interim. Martinez Elementary principal Angie Young, who also served as Westmont’s principal, made a point to invite teachers from both schools to show support.
“I wasn’t actually shocked [at Butler’s win] because I actually hired her when she was a first-year teacher, and she has been amazing since,” said Young. “She’s so good with kids. She has so many hands-on activities; she is engaging the students, so it’s not a surprise for me because she’s been with me for six years.”
Butler said she was congratulated by so many students, parents and staff members the morning following the Teacher of the Year banquet.
“I was talking and greeting everybody and one of my kids actually came around the corner with a bouquet of flowers for me. He and his mom stayed up, and his mom emailed and said they were so excited,” said Butler. “His mom said, ‘he couldn’t wait to see you tomorrow. He actually cried when they announced it was you. He knew it was going to be you.’”
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Young had nothing but compliments for Butler.
“The best thing [about her] is that she is so good at developing relationships with the students and once she develops those relationships, she works on the academics,” said Young. “First she works on the relationships though because those are very important. I just think that she can be a role model for others and share all of her knowledge, wisdom and strategies that she uses.”
Butler said she felt incredibly supported by all her staff, especially when they stood, applauded and screamed in enthusiasm.
“It was pretty insane,” she said. “Who knew you could be a teacher and a rockstar; I’m like living the dream now … [my students] were also really excited to celebrate with me too.”
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
