Month by Dothan radio station

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Amanda Bullard will never forget her first year of teaching at Carroll High School in Ozark.

Not only has she fallen in love with her students, the school and the community, she has also been recognized for her dedication to her job and her devotion to her students.

Last week, Bullard was named the teacher of the month by WTVY-Radio in Dothan, and, if that wasn’t honor enough, Bullard learned that she was the first high school teacher to receive the award.

"I didn’t even know I had been nominated," she said. "I received a call at school from the radio station and all I could think was ‘What do they want with me?’"

When she was told that she had been named teacher of the month for April, Bullard was "absolutely shocked."

"I knew the radio station was selecting teachers of the month, but I never even thought I might be one of them," she said. "It took it a while to sink in and I’m not sure it really has. I am very honored."

The response Bullard has received from her students is as great as the honor itself.

"They have been so excited and that makes the award even more special," she said.

And, to top that, Bullard was nominated by a parent.

"For a parent to appreciate you as a teacher enough to nominate you for an award is a wonderful compliment," Bullard said. "One of my students was having a lot of trouble and I stayed after school to work with him. His grades improved greatly and his mother was very appreciative that I took the extra time with him."

Taking extra time with her students is something Bullard is willing to do and wants to do.

"If they are willing to stay after school, I am more than willing to help them all I can," she said.

The greatest reward a teacher can receive is a light going on in a student’s eyes when he or she finally "gets it," Bullard said.

"Science can be difficult for some students and some students don’t like it at all," she said. "I want my students to think science is wonderful. I want them to be inquisitive about the world around them and I want them to want to learn. Also, I want them to be excited about the opportunities education has to offer."

Bullard has always been "a science and math person." She doesn’t know why, but she’s happy that she is.

"Science and math just naturally go together," she said. "Science is never dull because there is always something to discover and explore," she said. "It’s an exciting field and I want my students to find the excitement of science."

All of Bullard’s students shared the excitement of her award, but not all of them got to share in the rewards.

"But they understood and that was okay with them," Bullard said.

As one of the prizes for being named Teach of the Month for WTVY-Radio, several of the station’s DJs came to the school and hosted a pizza party for Bullard’s class.

All of the other award recipients have been elementary school teachers and their homerooms were treated to the party. However, Bullard teaches physical science to several different classes each day, so the radio station didn’t know who should be invited to the party.

"We decided on my third-block class because of the timing of it," Bullard said. "We all had a great time and they presented me with a plaque and gift certificates totaling about $250. It was a lot of fun and I appreciate all of the gifts, especially the plaque because of what it represented."

All this month, Bullard’s name will be called on the radio station and every time she hears it, she still has to pinch herself to make sure it’s true.

"I love teaching," she said. "This is where I believe the Lord wants me and I hope to hang around for a long time."