Jennifer Harris wins Excellence in Education award from Michigan Lottery
Jennifer Harris is shown with her Excellence in Education Award and the check for $1,500 she received from the Michigan Lottery. As part of the program, Harris also received $500 additional to spend on classroom supplies.
Manchester graduate and resident Jennifer Harris is in some very good company. She is one of 36 teachers each school year to be nominated for and receive the Excellence in Education Award, sponsored by the Michigan Lottery.
Established in 2014 to recognize outstanding Michigan public school educators, each week during the school year, the Michigan Lottery selects one outstanding educator to receive the award, which includes a $1,500 cash prize to the teacher and a $500 grant to the educator’s classroom, school, or school district. As a weekly winner, Harris was featured last week in news segments on WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, and WNEM-TV, Saginaw.
At the end of the school year, Harris will be eligible to be selected by Michigan Lottery from all this year’s weekly winners, to receive the Educator of the Year award and a $10,000 cash prize.
Harris, a graduate of Eastern Michigan University who also holds a masters degree from EMU, is a second-grade teacher at Allen Elementary School in Ann Arbor, where she has taught for 27 years. She says she had not previously heard of the award, and as it turns out, she is the first teacher from AAPS to receive the award and is proud to be able to give a shout-out to the great work all AAPS staff is doing, especially this year.
“We have been virtual all year,” she explains. “This situation is something I never imagined could or would happen in my teaching career. While I would most certainly love to be in person with my students and can not wait for that day to come again, I am extremely proud of the program Ann Arbor Public Schools has implemented during the pandemic. I teach live with my students every day except for Wednesdays. I cherish the Zoom moments with them and want to share that great things are happening online.
“So much training went into making this year happen. Teachers as well as students have learned how to manage technology and programs that are being used for the first time. I know I will keep learning as the year unfolds. I have felt sort of like a new teacher this year. It has forced me to reach outside my comfort zone many, many times.”
Still, she says, she has tried to teach her students to see the positives in the very unique setting they are experiencing this year.
“For me, I am thankful for the opportunity to be with my students on Zoom four days a week and for the growth I have achieved along the way,” she adds.
“I have taught kindergarten through fourth grade, and no matter which grade I am teaching, there are endless rewarding aspects to working with each age group. I love watching children in my class learn to read and write. It is exciting to witness their mathematical reasoning and thinking as the year unfolds. I have the great opportunity to lead, teach, and witness a group of learners where friendships are forming, students are working together and learning to solve problems together, and a class community is forming in front of my eyes. Second grade is a pivotal year where students begin as early elementary learners and transition into upper elementary learners. This age group of children grows and matures in so many ways during their second-grade experience. My ultimate favorite thing about being an educator is knowing I have the privilege to play a role in and be a part of my students’ learning and growth.”
Jennifer Harris is the daughter of Ed and Bonnie Barnard of Manchester. Her aunt, Martha Heinrich, who has been an educator for 38 years, nominated her for the award.
“She and I are very close; and we love comparing education stories,” Harris said. “She came and watched me teach online for a day. She has followed my online teaching journey since it started last March.”
Heinrich’s nomination cited Harris’ willingness to make personal sacrifices for her school and students.
“Jennifer has consistently strived to be the best she can be,” she said in the nomination. “She sets high standards for herself and works tirelessly to provide outstanding lessons, accommodations for every type of learner and exceptional care and kindness for each student. She … is known for going above and beyond in building positive teacher/parent relationships. Her creativity is inspiring to her colleagues and she is a model of a ‘team player’.
“She has been selected to teach in summer programs due to her strong work ethic and a reputation for being dependable and highly committed. Her students know that Mrs. Harris will do whatever is needed to make their academic experience a memorable one. Her colleagues know that there is no one who is more dedicated to helping the staff and school reach their goals than Jennifer. Throughout her career, she has made personal sacrifices to assure that Allen School, with its diverse population, is looked upon favorably in the Ann Arbor community.”
Harris said her love of working with children and making a difference in their lives drew her to a career in education, and that the endless rewarding feeling she gets from students is her favorite part of being in education.
“I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I love working with children and I have always known I wanted to make a difference in children’s lives. I simply could not imagine doing any other job. Becoming a teacher is what I feel I was meant to do.”
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