Blount High School teacher prepares seniors for life after graduation, receives Golden Apple
PRICHARD, Ala. (WKRG) — A 12th grade English teacher at Blount High School got a surprise that brought her to tears. She was presented with WKRG’s Golden Apple Award.
Vanita Wigfall has been teaching for over 20 years, and she’s been at Blount High School since 2010.
She treats her students like family.
“I look at my students, especially my girl students, like my daughters that God did not bless me with,” Wigfall said. “When I come here, not only am I teaching them the curriculum but I’m also teaching them how to always act like a young lady.”
Wigfall is also the Senior Advisor at Blount, preparing 12th graders for life after high school.
“College or Career ready is something that we really implement here at Mattie T. Blount High School,” Wigfall said. “Right now, we’re actually working on our resumes so when they graduate, they can already have a ready-made resume and just ready to take on the real world.”
She’s already decided what she wants to use her $100 gift on from her Golden Apple Award, and it involves her Mardi Gras tree that sits in the corner of her classroom.
“I am creating graduation ornaments for my students,” Wigfall said. “What I did was I took their senior graduation portraits and created small circles, ornaments for them with their name, graduation year and Blount logo so once I’m done all 271 of them will be on there.”
Wigfall has some proud senior students, and they say they can’t think of a more deserving person.
“She’s reliable at any time, any given time we need, she’s always there,” one student said. “She’s very determined, she inspires me, she’s always a fashionista.”
“She’s dedicated; she’s confident, and she’s like a mother,” another student said.
“I’m so humble, and I’m so thankful that my students nominated me,” Wigfall said. “It means a lot.”
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