2012 Teacher of the Year Winners
2012 High School ALA Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year
David A. Scott ~ High School
Northport High School
Northport, New York
Mr. Scott is the Law Program Coordinator at Northport High School where he provides instructional curriculum assistance to his colleagues as well as support and guidance to students interested in pursuing collegiate study and/or careers in law related fields. Since 1999, Mr. Scott has served as the coordinator of project P.A.T.C.H. This program is a specialized school district based initiative to provide leadership and instruction in Law-Related Education.
The following is from a few comments by Eileen Gerrish, Director of Law, Youth & Citizenship Program.
“…Mr. Scott’s impact on civic and law-related education spans his classroom, school district, the State of New York and our nation. Rarely have I ever met an educator who has shared his expertise and passion at so many levels, with so many colleagues. He has presented numerous workshops, panels,conferences, institutes and seminars in conjunction with the program I direct, the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program of the New York State Bar Association. Literally thousands of students and teachers have benefited from his unselfish contribution to the advancement of law-related education…
Eleesha Tucker, Director of Education, the Society of Cincinnati, in Washington, DC,added:
“…Mr. Scott is the kind of educator that should be in every American classroom.. He cares about student and their individual development. when students leave his classes, they are well acquainted with constitutional principles, cases and controversies that demonstrate those structural values. By establishing a classroom culture of respect, he facilitates a safe space for the students to express their voices. The experience students receive in Mr. Scott’s classroom prepares them to be engaged citizens when they become adults. If more educators were like Mr. Scott, America would be better off…”
The American Lawyers Alliance is pleased to present Mr. David Scott the Teacher of the Year Award. 2012 High School Law-Related Education Teacher of the Year Award.
2012 ALA Law-Related Middle School Teacher of the Year
Donna Hickman ~ Middle School
Union 8th Grade Center
ALA member Barbara Smallwood (l) and TOY Award Winner Donna Hickman (r)
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Donna Hickman, eighth grade history teacher at Union Eighth Grade Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the recipient of the American Lawyers Alliance Law-Related Education Middle School Teacher of the Year.
Ms. Hickman writes, ” What is history? History is a study of the past. It is a way of making sense of the world. It is an academic discipline. It is a combination of facts and interpretations of facts. It is also an ongoing argument that changes as new evidence is uncovered. And that is the most exciting thing of all, because it means that history is very much alive. I taught students with learning disabilities for the first fourteen years of my career, U.S. Government to eighth grade students for nineteen years and this will be my second year to teach history.
Offering my students the history of this great nation and introducing our form of government, how it evolved and works in relevant and engaging ways is a challenge I enjoy. Watching my students explore new options, listen to other views and form opinions of their own about past events, personal issues and public policy is immensely satisfying. The most memorable part of every year is observing the maturation of my students as they gain pride and a feeling of power and confidence from this new knowledge. My wish is to stir a renewed patriotism in the lives and hearts of my students and encourage a sense of ownership for their community, state and nation.
2012 ALA Law-Related Elementary School Teacher of the Year
Carol Graham ~ Elementary School
Hometown Elementary School
Hometown, West Virginia
The ALA Law-Related Education Elementary School Teacher of the Year Award winner is Carol Graham. Ms. Graham teaches at Hometown Elementary School in Hometown, Virginia. She received her bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Montana State University in 1981 and her Masters Degree in Education Administration, Special Education from Marshall University in 1984. She then went on to earn her Doctor of Education from West Virginia University in 1995. Ms. Graham not only teaches at Hometown Elementary School but also serves as the Principal.
To quote Justice Robin Jean Davis of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, “Ms. Graham has taught every grade level from Preschool through college. She teaches American History (Student Government, Civic Education, the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights) to grades 3,4, and 5. In addition, Ms. Graham’s students implement the Mock Trials at the Putnam County Courthouse every year demonstrating their knowledge of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and their civic responsibility.”
Carol Graham was also highly recommended for this award by the Honorable Phillip M. Stowers, Chief Justice of the 29th Judicial Circuit Court of West Virginia for teaching her students about American Jurisprudence and the Constitution, and for conducting Mock trials in his courtroom.
The ALA truly admires Ms. Graham’s methods of teaching her student about justice, government and the rule of law.
