Local ‘Outstanding Educator’ nominated for Utah Teacher of the Year award

After spending more than 14 years teaching elementary school students in West Valley City, a local teacher is getting some much-deserved recognition.

That’s according to Harry S. Truman Elementary School Principal Tyler Howe, who said sixth-grade teacher Jennifer Bodell does an outstanding job working with students in her classroom.

“She’s been [at Truman Elementary] her entire career. She’s amazing. She has college kids who come back and remember her as the single greatest teacher in their school career,” Howe said.

To mark her accomplishments, on March 29 Bodell was recognized as one of eight teachers named a Granite Education Foundation 2011 Excel Outstanding Educator. The award came with $1,000 and a plaque.

In a statement on the awards released by the Granite Education Foundation, President Peter Hoi said, “One common denominator of [the award] recipients is the love they have for their students and the passion they share for teaching and making a difference in the lives of children. Each is an educator that provides a stable learning environment and is the type students will always remember with fondness and gratitude for having had the opportunity to pass through their class.”

Then, on May 19, Granite School District Superintendent Dr. Martin W. Bates officially announced that Bodell had been selected as the Granite School District Teacher of the Year and the school district nominee for the Utah Teacher of the Year award competition this fall.

Bates surprised Bodell with the honor during a professional development workshop for teachers held at the Granite Education Center this spring.

At that time, Bodell was presented with a bouquet of flowers and an iPad2.

Bodell said she made the decision to become a teacher as a student in elementary school.

“I have a passion for teaching children. I decided in the fourth grade to be a teacher because of my own fourth-grade teacher, and I never looked back,” Bodell said.

Students, Howe and a member of the local Parent Teacher Association nominated Bodell for the Outstanding Educator award.

Granite Education Foundation administrators also observed Bodell in her classroom last spring.

Howe said Bodell excels at focusing on students, keeping them engaged in learning with innovative activities and encouraging the children to learn from each other.

He said Bodell has a great chance to win the Utah Teacher of the Year award this September.

“I can’t imagine a sharper teacher on their list,” Howe said.