PROFESSION: Educator
HU Alumna Named National Teacher of the Year
Hampton, VA - Kimberly Oliver, a 1998 graduate of Hampton University , was named the National Teacher of the Year by President George Bush at a ceremony held at the White House on April 26, 2006. Oliver was chosen because of her community focus, teamwork with other teachers, and a desire to see all students succeed.
The National Teacher of the Year Program focuses public attention on teaching excellence and is the oldest and most prestigious awards program for teachers.
Oliver, a kindergarten teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring , Md. , is the 56th national teacher of the year and the first to represent Maryland . She will begin a year as a full-time national and international spokesperson for education on June 1, 2006. She certainly has plenty of information and experience to share.
When Oliver came to Broad Acres Elementary School in 2000, the school was in danger of being restructured by the state because of declining academic performance.
"I realized that I adore working with children," Oliver said. "This experience helped to shape many of my beliefs about what children can do if someone believes in them. I knew then that I wanted to motivate and inspire the neediest students whom many have been written off just because of the circumstances they were born into."
Oliver was raised in Wilmington, Del. and is a graduate of William Penn High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in English arts from Hampton University in 1998 and a master's degree in elementary education from Wilmington College in 2000.
Oliver's professors at Hampton University remember her as being a very dedicated student.
"I recall Kim as an exceptionably able student," said John Alewynse, chair of the Hampton University Department of English. " I also recall being struck and somewhat bemused by her commitment to a career in elementary education. However, in just the last few years, it has become generally recognized that that is exactly where we as a country need to put our greatest effort. In retrospect, Kim was already well ahead of the curve."
Her childhood admiration of a daycare teacher and her college summers spent working at a young children's day camp inspired Oliver to become an educator. Since then, Oliver has devoted her life to building on these experiences, especially the one-on-one relationship forged between that special teacher and herself. With a focus on individualized education and a love of reading, along with tailoring lessons and projects to the needs of individual students, she has been able to profoundly impact her school and neighborhood.
A committee of representatives from 14 national education organizations chooses the national teacher of the year from among the state teachers of the year, including those representing American Samoa , Department of Defense Education Activity, District of Columbia , Guam, Northern Mariana Islands , and U.S. Virgin Islands.
# HU #
For more information contact Yuri Rodgers Milligan @ (757)727-5253 or email yuri.milligan@hamptonu.edu.
Return To 2005 - 2006 Press Releases
Posted By: Joah King
Tuesday, May 9th 2006 at 3:57AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
