VIDEO: A Look into Kovach's Classroom

Danielle Kovach always wanted to be a teacher.

Always.

The 2010-2011 New Jersey Teacher of the Year remembered in the clip above the time, back in grade school, when she lined all her stuffed animals alphabetically and, using her closet as a chalkboard, treated them like her students.

It's that passion that has served Kovach so well over the years and came to a head just less than two years ago when she received the statewide honor. In the interview, the special-education teacher talks about how Acting Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf, Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano and interim Principal Joseph Memoli surprised her with the honor.

The video above also takes a peek into Kovach's classroom.