MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA, Ala. — Meet FOX54 Top Teacher Eric Mittman of Sparkman High School. He's teaching his students to see the world in a different way...through the lens of a camera.
Mittman's fascination with photography goes back more than 20 years. His calling started with travel and now he's passing that love onto a new generation. "I realized this an opportunity and kind of share it with kids…and say hey, let's go photograph. Let's have an adventure."
His students tell the story. Elias Davis is a junior. It's her second year in Mittman's class. "This is second my year. I started fall semester of last year, my sophomore year." For Davis it's about time Mittman is recognized. "It took him long enough to get here. He's an amazing teacher."
Davis is a third-generation photographer. "It's an amazing art form that's full of creativity." She and her mom are taking a class trip together, and they'll get to take some very memorable shots. "We're going to Japan this summer, and I'm so happy. We found out. I told my mom and her reaction was like 'Welp, got a job now.'. She already had two at that time."
And she credits Mittman with the amazing classroom, complete with backdrops, sets, and lights, just like you'd see in a professional photography studio. "He started out in portables, and grew to what you see around you now. Everything you see here is all him."
Mittman believes it's a credit to the kids, saying that everything there is built by students.
He credits it to God, too. "There's no way, this could exist, I'm not trying to preach but there's no way this could exist without some help." And for Mittman, it's more than holding a camera. "I like to think that the program takes kids from cradle to career."