February 2024 Winner - Kelly Higginbotham:(Kemper County High School)
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Meridian Family of Stations -
Meridian Star Article
The Golden Apple Teacher of the Month for February is Kelly Higginbotham. She says
she loves teaching algebra at Kemper County but it wasn't her original career choice "I was actually in the engineering field and God sent me in a different
direction you know we never know exactly what we have planned for us, and sometimes he has to get us back to where we're going my mom was kind of disappointed she said I was supposed to been her doctor, and I told her I said mom we need good teachers too you so that that's kind of where I ended up where I was you know make one path in life and God redirects you and gets you where where you need to be."
Even after 22 years of teaching she says, "experiencing that light bulb moment with a student never gets old when a child gets something that they've been struggling with and trying to but just can't get there and you see that click and they get so excited that they knew how to do it and that they understood it that makes a great day for me."
Some students may ask why should I learn algebra well Mrs. Higginbotham is prepared for that question "I usually tell them at this point in their life they might not feel like they ever are going to use algebra but right now it is a state test requirement we got to have it for graduation, and just because they have one goal for themselves right now as a ninth grader, that might not include College algebra in their plans I'm going to get them ready because if they change their mind their senior year and decide hey I want to take more of an academic route through college instead of vacation route, they're going to have the backing that they need and they're not going to be playing catchup at that point trying to learn what they should have already learned in nth grade I do what I do because I love these kids and you know and it's not about getting an award but I can tell you I mean I'm very very happy"
