Linda Roger’s second grade class erupted into cheers and fist pumps when Larry Harmon, Papa John’s public relations representative for North Carolina, entered the Hendersonville Elementary classroom with a stack of piping hot pizza boxes.
Several students rushed to give Karis Marshall hugs of thanks, after learning their surprise pizza party was due to her winning entry into the 2015 Papa John’s Teacher of the Year contest.
Marshall was equally excited when she learned that she won free pizza for a year. Also awarded with pizza for a year, 2015 Papa John’s Teacher of the Year Candice Greedy was happiest to learn that her role in the library as the school’s media coordinator has encouraged a young reader.
Pointing to Marshall’s detailed drawing of the shelves of books – including her favorite series, “The Magic Treehouse” – Greedy said she’s glad to see a young student inspired by reading.
“It’s thrilling because a lot of kids at this age say P.E. is their favorite,” Greedy said. “So I’m very happy that she picked the library as her favorite place.”
Each year, the Papa John’s Teacher of the Year award is given to teachers in Western North Carolina nominated by their students.
“We have 65 schools in Buncombe and Henderson counties,” Harmon said, and this year both elementary school teacher winners come from Henderson County Public Schools.
To enter nominate their teachers, students in kindergarten through third grade draw a picture depicting their teachers in their classrooms, while students in fourth grade through high school write essays on how their teachers positively impact their lives.
(Article written by Molly McGowan Gorsuch, Public Information Officer of Henderson County Public Schools.)