Upshur’s Anderson is named W.Va. Teacher of the Year
The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes Erin Anderson reacts as she is announced as West Virginia Teacher of the Year Tuesday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes From left are Tristen Gray, principal of Tennerton Elementary; Dr. Debra Harrison, assistant superintendent of Upshur County Schools; West Virginia Teacher of the Year Erin Anderson; and Superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes Erin Anderson reacts as she is announced as West Virginia Teacher of the Year Tuesday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes From left are Tristen Gray, principal of Tennerton Elementary; Dr. Debra Harrison, assistant superintendent of Upshur County Schools; West Virginia Teacher of the Year Erin Anderson; and Superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus.
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The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes
Erin Anderson reacts as she is announced as West Virginia Teacher of the Year Tuesday.
The Inter-Mountain photo by Amanda Hayes
From left are Tristen Gray, principal of Tennerton Elementary; Dr. Debra Harrison, assistant superintendent of Upshur County Schools; West Virginia Teacher of the Year Erin Anderson; and Superintendent Dr. Sara Stankus.
BUCKHANNON - Upshur County is now home to the West Virginia State Teacher of the Year.
Erin Anderson learned of the honor Tuesday evening during a virtual event. Together with family, friends and co-workers, Anderson listened into the State Teacher and Service Personnel of the Year Award.
In the days leading up to Tuesday's announcement, Anderson said that she thought "Either way -- win or lose -- it was going to be OK."
"All the groundwork was already laid," she said. "I had already done the interviews. I had already put together the montage you saw. I knew I had done everything I could do. I knew the committee would pick the person they wanted. If that wasn't me, I knew after meeting the candidates, that everything was going to be fine and that West Virginia and our educators were going to be in good hands."
But it is Anderson, a fifth-grade teacher at Tennerton Elementary, who will now represent West Virginia.
"I thought please don't let this be another Steve Harvey moment," she joked when her name was called. "It was unbelievable. My fellow teachers have been telling me, you represent the real teachers that are in the trenches doing this job. I'm doing it with a smile on my face. I'm hoping I can celebrate teachers."
Dr. Sara Stankus, said, "We are delighted that Mrs. Anderson is the West Virginia Teacher of the Year. She is a terrific reflection of what great educators can do for children and in the lives of children.
Her students love her. They look forward to seeing her each day. This summer she rode the bus and she saw her students at the bus stop. She saw the families. This is the true impact of education in our community and in the state. Mrs. Anderson is a great representative."
Tristen Gray is principal at Tennerton Elementary.
"I'm not surprised that she was able to make it to this point," he said. "We think she is fantastic at Tennerton. We see it every single day. I'm so thrilled that she is going to be able to express that now to the whole state. She is more than deserving of this fantastic award and recognition.
"I'm anxious to see how far she will go with this because we know what she can do with her 25 kids every day. To see how she is going to be able to reach so many more now with this title, it's really exciting."
Dr. Tammy Samples, president of the Upshur County Board of Education, said, "Erin is a very deserving winner. She loves her kids. She loves her job and she works every day to make sure they are OK."
Upshur County also has one of the top five Service Personnel of the Year in the state. Stephanie Bennett, now a transportation supervisor but who was coordinator of payroll services when she won the County Service Personnel of the Year award, was also recognized during Tuesday's virtual ceremony.