Ocean City Teacher Named Finalist For National Award

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The New Jersey Teacher of the Year — an American Sign Language Teacher at Ocean City High School — is one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year Award, the Council of Chief State School Officers announced on Thursday. Amy T. Andersen is the first teacher from New Jersey to be named a finalist for the award, according to the New Jersey State Department of Education.

“I am truly humbled to have been named a finalist for National Teacher of the Year, and I am proud and honored to represent the fantastic teaching taking place across New Jersey,” Andersen said. “I believe all children deserve to have a voice, no matter how different, whether signed or spoken, and a way to express that voice. I am excited to have this opportunity to bring attention to American Sign Language, deaf culture and the global benefits of being bilingual.”

Andersen was named the New Jersey State Teacher of the Year in October. She was previously named the Cape May County Teacher of the Year. New Jersey has been participating in the National Teacher of the Year Program overseen by the Council of Chief State School Officers since 1969.

The National Teacher of the Year Award winner will be announced in the spring. The winner will spend the next year traveling the country to represent educators and advocate on behalf of teachers and students. If selected, Andersen will be released from her classroom duties to travel.

National Teachers of the Year speak at over 150 events each year before audiences ranging from several hundred to over 10,000 and are often asked to sit on national and state commissions and policy advising bodies. Each year since 1952, the National Teacher of the Year has also been honored during a ceremony at the White House in the spring.

“Amy T. Andersen, has devoted her professional career to creating a classroom environment that ensures that each student finds their voice, finds their passion and finds their path in making the school and community all that much better,” Ocean City Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Taylor said. “Ms. Andersen has single-handedly grown the American Sign Language (ASL) Program into both one of the most popular Ocean City High School academic programs and into an exemplary world language program for the region and state.

“On behalf of the entire education community of New Jersey, I want to congratulate Amy on this remarkable honor,” New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington said. “Amy is receiving national acclaim for the life-changing impact she has had on her students, and her dedication to not only teach but empower children in her community.”

The other finalists include:

• Kara Ball, an elementary educator who uses project-based learning in her STEM curriculum to cultivate curiosity in her students.
• Jonathan Juravich, an elementary art teacher who used a community painting project to demonstrate the power of the visual arts to engage, communicate, and bring people together.
• Mandy Manning, is the first teacher in the U.S. for her refugee and immigrant students. She uses experiential projects to help her students process trauma and learn about their new community.

“The four finalists for the 2018 National Teacher of the Year stand at the intersection of policy, advocacy and practice," the Council of Chief State School Officers said. "They exemplify the highest levels of teaching, innovation, and leadership, and have demonstrated a commitment to students and public education. These State Teachers of the Year capture the spirit and passion of America’s teachers. Any of them would do an outstanding job as the profession’s ambassador.”

The New Jersey Education Association's (NJEA) elected officers praised Andersen’s national recognition.

“Amy Andersen embodies the true spirit of the profession. Earning national recognition signifies the deep influences she’s had on her students and her community,” NJEA President Marie Blistan said. “Ms. Andersen’s relentless passion for her students is infectious, and her work is profoundly moving. This prestigious honor could be bestowed upon no better person and certainly no better teacher.”

“Amy Andersen’s ability to effectuate positive change inspires us all. In a time when students are increasingly exposed to examples of poor moral character, Ms. Andersen’s commitment to her students and to imparting on them the value of being inclusive and caring serves as a beacon of hope,” NJEA Vice President Sean M. Spiller said. ”I am so happy for her, and I am even happier for the countless lives she will touch as a result of this honor.”

“I’m so proud that New Jersey’s own Amy Andersen has garnered the national recognition it deserves. Her selfless commitment to others can teach us all,” NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Steve Beatty said. “An educator at her core, Ms. Andersen was called to this profession and now, with this recognition, the profession calls her on the national stage.”

“We are proud to celebrate teachers who develop and promote innovative curriculums that empower children to succeed,” said Angela Harrell, SVP, Corporate Responsibility, Voya Financial, Inc. “Voya is committed to children’s education, and the National Teacher of the Year program recognizes and honors teachers who are dedicated to promoting the teaching profession and ensuring that children receive early education which enables them to achieve positive futures.”

Ocean City is one of only a handful of districts in the state that offer American Sign Language as a world language for hearing students. About 130 students are now taking the course at the school. This is more than triple the number of students who were enrolled in the course when it first started 13 years ago, according to the school district.

Andersen, of Cape May Court House, has been a special education teacher at Ocean City High School since she moved back to Cape May County from Boston — where she taught deaf students for nine years — in 2004. That was the same year the district launched its American Sign Language program, with about 40 students enrolled at the time. The following year, more than 130 students had signed up as interest in careers teaching the deaf grew.

Community oriented activities, such as ASL socials at local coffee shops and evening performances that raise funds for scholarships immerse students in deaf and hard of hearing culture helping them to build confidence.

In the past three years alone, more than 85 percent of her students have achieved the New Jersey Seal of Biliteracy, which denotes a student's fluency in sign language, according to the State Board of Education. Her program has inspired a number of students to pursue American Sign Language-related careers.

Andersen earned a bachelor's degree in flute performance from Indiana University and a master's degree in deaf education from McDaniel College, according to the State Board of Education. She is also nationally certified in Exceptional Needs Specialist: Deaf/Hard of Hearing.

Every year, exemplary teachers from each state, the U.S. extra-state territories, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity are selected as State Teachers of the Year. From that group, a national selection committee representing 14 renowned education and community organizations, which collectively represent millions of educators, selects four finalists for National Teacher of the Year. The National Teacher of the Year is then selected from the four finalists after rigorous in-person interviews with the selection committee. For more information, visit the National Teacher of the Year Program website.

The attached image of Amy Andersen and Kathleen Taylor was provided