DECATUR, Alabama — Mrs. Cynthia White is the Valley's Top Teacher. Her fifth-graders at Chestnut Grove Elementary love her science and social studies classes.
Mrs. White has been teaching for over twenty years. Her classroom is decked out in Crimson in support of the University of Alabama. She's a huge fan and so are some of her students.
"Mrs. White is a really good teacher, she loves Alabama, which I love Alabama too," said fifth-grader Wagner Woodard.
If a student isn't a Bama fan, she encourages to bring in items from their favorite team, under one condition.
"What they can do is, even though they can be for another team, they can bring in something, and I can hang it up for the year," Mrs. White explained. "But it has to leave as soon as they leave."
Mrs. White is currently battling cancer, but she still takes the time to make sure that her students are being the best they can be.
Her kids love that she's always willing to help whenever they need a hand.
"She's very nice," said fifth-grader Matthew Morris. "She helps you with your work."
The most rewarding part of her job is when her students come back to visit her. Mrs. White taught Super Bowl Champion and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Josh Pearson.
"He came back last year after he won the Super Bowl, very giving young man," Mrs. White said. "He came in and gave a speech to the kids about everything."