VIDEO: Richfield's Melanie Lawrence-Smith Honored as Top Teacher

teachers, staff and students gathered in the school's cafeteria Thursday morning for a special announcement from Principal Joey Page.

Staff members joked that the announcement was about the Dairy Queen Dilly Bars that had mysteriously disappeared from the teacher's lounge. However, Page said that while he had called for the meeting, he would not be making the secret announcement.

As he finished his sentence, Fox 9 News morning anchor Dawn Stevens, along with a camera man, came out and announced they were there to present a Top Teacher of the Year Award to a special teacher. Stevens told the audience that more than 500 nominations had been submitted and of those they had chosen just nine teachers to recognize.

Soon she announced that Melanie Lawrence-Smith, a fourth-grade S.T.E.M. school teacher, was the recipient of one of the nine awards. Along with the award, Lawrence-Smith was given a $900 check to use toward school supplies for the kids and Subway sandwich party for 100 of her friends.

Lawrence-Smith was overcome by the award and through her tears she accepted the award and told the students, "I love you."

To see her reaction as her name was announced, click "play" on the above video.