The Detroit Goodfellows announced today the winner of the seventh annual Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest.
The winner is Theresa McCants, a fourth grade teacher at Detroit Public Schools’ Fisher Magnet Lower Academy.
Detroit Goodfellows board members surprised McCants in her classroom with the news and presented her with a $200 gift card to buy classroom supplies. Additionally, she will be acknowledged at the Detroit Goodfellows Annual Tribute Breakfast this fall.
The Goodfellows Board of Directors selected the winning teacher from nominations by Detroit Public School students in grades 3 through 8 who designated their favorite teachers by answering the question: “Why is your teacher so special?” in 50 words or less.
This year, nominations from two 9-year-old, fourth-grade students at Fisher Magnet Lower Academy, DeAsia Jones and Tyreion Wiggins, were so strong they were both chosen as winners. Each winning entry is below:
“Out of all my teachers the one I admire the most is Ms. McCants. She is competitive like NBA star Stephen Curry. She always pushes us to win. She talks about our great country. She tells us we are blessed like Barack Obama. No education is wasted in her class.” – DeAsia Jones
“My favorite teacher is Ms. McCants. She reminds me of Rosa Parks. Like Rosa Parks she teaches us to stand our ground. She makes sure we never give up. She says, ‘winners make the grade, whiners make excuses!’ She tells me ‘my education is important!’ “– Tyreion Wiggins
McCants has been a teacher with Detroit Public Schools for 30 years and at the Fisher Magnet Lower Academy for 10 years. The fourth grade teacher is a resident of Detroit.
The Detroit Goodfellows sponsors the Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest to show its sincere appreciation and gratitude to Detroit Public School administrators, teachers and support staff who, each year, work so diligently to identify students in need of its holiday gift packages.
Founded in 1914, the Detroit Goodfellows is the original and oldest Goodfellow organization and is not affiliated with any other Goodfellow group. It also sponsors an emergency dental program for children, awards scholarships through Wayne State University, provides free shoes to children in need and helps send hundreds of needy children to camp each summer.
The 102-year-old charity’s mission is to ensure that there is “No Kiddie Without a Christmas” and has a four-start rating from Charity Navigator.
This isn’t the only Detroit Public School recognition as of late. Recently a teacher was honored by the Tony Awards.