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Meridian Star Article
By Terri Ferguson Smith
Science is never boring in Amanda Crowell's eighth grade class at Carver Middle School in Meridian.
For four years, Crowell has been known to go to almost outrageous lengths to help her students understand science. This dedication is what earned her the April Golden Apple Teacher of the Month award.
Her principal, Tiffany Plott nominated her for the award.
"She uses some crazy tactics to get her kids to learn the material," Plott said. "She is always coming up with really cool ideas that relate to the kids' lives or that will motivate them and encourage them to be engaged in their learning."
Crowell is in her fourth year of teaching at Caver.
"She is a product of Carver Middle School, Meridian Public Schools, and the Boys and Girls Club here," Plott said. "That motivated me to want to show the kids here that if you work really hard — that somebody from the same school they go to, from the same Boys and Girls Club, who lives in the same neighborhood that they live in, can fulfill their dreams with hard work, dedication, and determination. Ms. Crowell is a great role model for these kids."
Golden Apple sponsors surprised Crowell in her classroom Tuesday when the group arrived unannounced. Asked what she thought when she saw all those strangers in her classroom, Crowell admitted it was a temporary cause for concern.
"I thought I was in trouble and I was thinking, whatever they think I did, I didn't do it," Crowell said. Soon her fears were gone.
"I feel great. I just feel honored and shocked," she said.
