DANVILLE, Ala. — Although she has been teaching for seven years, Mrs. Stacy LouAllen at Speake School in Lawrence County knew she wanted to be a teacher ever since she was a little girl.
"I used to make my brother and sister and the two little girls who lived next door to us play school every summer. So my brother says I have him to thank for it because he was my first student," laughs Stacy LouAllen, the Valley's Top Teacher.
Mrs. LouAllen says it is a blessing to be a part of her students' lives and to help them reach their short-term and long-term goals.
"They definitely are the future," explains Mrs. LouAllen. "What an awesome job it is to be able to inspire someone to their potential for the future."
Her fifth graders can expect to have a lot of fun in her class. They are always doing experiments and learning activities.
"That's part of our science ecosystems unit right now," shares Mrs. LouAllen as she talks about the photos of kids doing science experiments with water jugs. "There are little dots that look like I drew on there with magic marker or something, those are snails, and there are little fish in there."
Mrs. LouAllen says not only is this fun for the kids, but it also helps them learn.
"When you are more engaged, when you care about it, I think it sticks with you longer," says Mrs. LouAllen.
Even when times are challenging, like they are this year, she is always there to help her students with anything they need. She wants her kids to know she is always in their corner.
"I want them to know how valuable they are," says Mrs. LouAllen. "I want them to know that they can contribute to society. I want them to know how cared for they are, and that they have someone who is always rooting for them."
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