Long Island Teacher 'Completely Shocked,' Winning Student's Essay Subject

BALDWIN, NY — One teacher was given quite a surprise from one of her students.

Katie Schieck, a fourth-grade teacher at Lenox Elementary School in Baldwin, was selected as the winning entry for an essay competition from Applebee's restaurants on Long Island. One student was picked in Suffolk County, and from Nassau, Bryce won for his writing about his teacher.

"I was completety shocked," Schieck told Patch.

The essay competition sought educators who went "Above and Bee-yond" (the spelling is a play on the restaurant's title), and in the boy's mind, Schieck did just that.

"This particular student lost his grandmother, unfortunately, at the beginning of the school year, and he was having a really hard time with it," she said.

Bryce wrote in his essay that he "felt depressed," but Mrs. Schieck "helped him through it."

The words were reward enough for Schieck, who said "you don't always know the impact you've made on someone."

But, it's a group effort, or at least a group celebration, as Applebee's is throwing a party for Schieck, Bryce and the entire class at the Baldwin location.

"The energy that filled the room when they found out was just amazing," she said. "They were hugging him and hugging each other. They were all excited."

Plus, Schieck will receive a $500 check for new school students to share with her future students.

Schieck had no idea about Bryce's essay until she opened the email from Applebee's.

"While I was reading it, I was at the computer, and his adorable personality was shone through in the essay," she said. "While I'm sitting there, I'm smiling and tearing up, all at the same time."

As her first time seeing Bryce thereafter, "I just gave him the biggest hug," Schieck also told the youngster that his words meant so much.

Despite the personal feelings, Bryce allowed Schieck to read the essay to his classmates.

"I read it with him next to me. It was sweet," she said of the experience.