On September 6, Mrs. Amber Graham was named Emerson Elementary's 2023-24 Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Graham has been teaching for a total of 10 years with 6 of those years being spent at Emerson.
As a child, Mrs. Graham wanted to be many things, including a comedian, an actress, and a make-up artist. "Once in 4th grade, I raised my hand when the teacher asked who wants to be a teacher. I saw the gifted students raising their hand too, so I put mine down. I did not think I would ever go to college. I had lots of learning difficulties," shares Mrs. Graham. As a teacher, Mrs. Graham gets to be all those things and more with her students.
If you asked her what she wants to be when she grows up today, she would tell you a published author. And you know what? We believe Mrs. Graham could certainly achieve her goal and become a published author.
If you have ever visited Mrs. Graham's classroom, you may already know her favorite children's book. Did you guess Harry Potter? If so, you would be correct. While Mrs. Graham enjoys teaching all the subjects, her favorite would be reading where she can help students with their skills and share her love of stories.
Mrs. Graham is an advocate for her students and their education. She builds strong relationships that foster development and growth in her students. The hard work shown by her students is a testament to that rapport. Her favorite quote from Aristotle - "Educating the mind without educating the heart, is no education at all” - speaks to the dedication Mrs. Graham has to the education of the whole student.
When not at school, Mrs. Graham enjoys traveling. Some of her favorite places to visit include England, Wales (stayed in Ruthin Castle), the Caribbean on a 10-day cruise, Maine, the tri-states, to visit family in New Mexico and Colorado, and so many more places! Mrs. Graham travels A LOT, and says, "They are all my favorite!"