October 2023 Winner - Joey Etheridge:(Clarkdale High School)

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I saw my parents who were both teachers and the impact they had on lives you saw that affection that they had toward kids and it was reciprocated by the kids and I wanted to experience that and it was an opportunity to actually do some good in in this life and actually have an impact first and foremost I enjoy interacting with the kids they keep you young but at the same time you can see kids starting in a spot um and you can see their growth not just in school but their maturity and their their understanding and appreciation for learning I enjoy that the most The Golden Apple Yeacher for the month of October is Clarkdale's Joey Ethridge. He teaches eighth grade geography and Mississippi studies, drives a school bus, and coaches football. He says his parents led him to the classroom, "I saw my parents who were both teachers and the impact they had on lives. You saw that affection that they had toward kids and it was reciprocated by the kids and I wanted to experience that. It was an opportunity to actually do some good in this life and actually have an impact. First and foremost I enjoy interacting with the kids. They keep you young, but at the same time you can see kids starting in a spot and you can see their growth not just in school but their maturity and their their understanding and appreciation for learning. I enjoy that the most," he says.

"Coaching is about more than just football the opportunity to see kids grow from boys and you can see them graduate and you can see that first step into manhood. Football is something that teaches uniquely from other sports and I enjoy watching that process take place. One thing about coaching is you see those kids honestly more than you see your own kids you feel like you know them and they become part of your family. You make probably a little bit better personal connection with them and there's probably a little bit more of an impact there."

After 22 years in the profession, coach has some definitive advice for aspiring teachers. "Teaching is a calling, anyone that gets into it for any other reason other than they feel led it's probably cheating themselves. But they're also cheating the students and they always should go back to why did you get it in the first place and the reason why you get into it in the first place is to change lives for the good. You have to have a passion for kids and I would say that if you want to actually have an impact a lifelong impact on kids that teaching is is the job for you you can have a fulfilling life of making a real impact on this community and This World by teaching.