From the Virginia Lottery: There are some amazing teachers out there – Super Teachers, in fact, and many of them are right here in Virginia. Sherri Shupe is one of those teachers, and that’s why she was selected to receive the 2015 Virginia Lottery Super Teacher award. Mrs. Shupe received the award today in a surprise presentation at Andrew Lewis Middle School in front of students, faculty and special guests. The award, sponsored by the Virginia Lottery, the Virginia PTA and Virginia-based The Supply Room Companies, consists of a $2,000 cash prize and an additional $2,000 classroom credit from The Supply Room Companies.
(Continue reading for the rest of the news release.)
This is the eighth year for the Virginia Lottery Super Teacher awards, which honor outstanding K-12 public school educators. Each year, the Lottery asks for nominations from all across the state and, this year, received more than 850 total. From there, a panel of judges selects eight teachers – one from each geographic region across the state – to win. Sherri Shupe is the first educator to receive the Super Teacher Award for 2015. Seven more surprise presentations will occur this spring.
“Mrs. Shupe consistently shows her passion and commitment on a daily basis. She routinely has at-risk students in her classroom in the mornings, so they have a place where they can get ready for the school day. Mrs. Shupe makes sure that she has snacks in her classroom for any student who comes to school without breakfast. She also is one of the few teachers who attends dances, sporting events, and after-school activities to show her support for the student body. Mrs. Shupe loves our school and the students.”
The 2015 Virginia Lottery Super Teachers were selected by a panel of distinguished educators and community leaders, including:
- Jo Lynne DeMary, former State Superintendent for Public Instruction
- Martha Ross, professor emerita, JMU
- The Honorable James W. Dyke, former Virginia Secretary of Education
- Brenda Sheridan, President of the Virginia PTA
- Karen Drosinos, 2013 Super Teacher Award Recipient, Pembroke Elementary School
The judges selected the eight winners based on the strength of the nominations and educators’ qualities as exemplified by the nominator. Each nomination included answers to four questions addressing everything from the teacher’s passion for and commitment to the profession, to innovation and creativity in the classroom, to how the teacher involves the students’ parents.
“We’re game for education, and these awards are a great way for the Lottery to demonstrate that,” said Virginia Lottery Executive Director Paula Otto. “We are committed to supporting Virginia’s public schools, and that includes recognizing outstanding Super Teachers like Sherri Shupe who are making such a difference in the education of Virginia’s youth and, indeed, our future leaders.”
Salem City Public Schools received more than $1.4 million in Lottery profits for K-12 education in Fiscal Year 2014. Lottery dollars are funding programs, such as Virginia Preschool Initiative, Early Reading Intervention, Mentor Teacher, K-3 Primary Class Size Reduction, School Breakfast, Algebra Readiness, Regional Alternative Education, Special Education, Vocational Education, Virginia Teacher Corps (NCLB/EFAL), textbooks and Race to GED (NCLB/EFAL).
