She may be from Louisiana, but 3rd-grade teacher Samantha Keller is proud to be a Wrangler at Williams Elementary.
And the Wranglers are extra proud of her after she was named the 2016 Teacher of the Year by the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators.
Henva Medlow, principal at Williams Elementary, nominated Keller for the award. This is Keller’s sixth year at Williams and in Lamar CISD.
The award is given every February in conjunction with the observance of Black History Month. This year’s ceremony was held Feb. 24 at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
The Outstanding Teacher Award thanks teachers for the outstanding job they do in working with children, while providing the community an opportunity to participate in this recognition.
“I was very humbled by the award,” Keller said. “This is a great group with members who support each other, helping us all to be successful.”
Keller said she also enjoyed hearing stories about “back in the day.”
“It helps me stay grounded,” she said. “It reminds me why we are in this business. We are in it for the kids.”