Canton Repository Teacher of the Month: McKenzie Harder, Canton City
NAME – McKenzie Harder
SCHOOL – STEAMM Academy at Hartford Middle School
RESIDENCE – Lake Township
HIGH SCHOOL ALMA MATER – Lake High School
COLLEGE – Kent State University
FAMILY – I have a very large family who I am very close with. I have a niece, nephew and 5 siblings.
WHAT SUBJECTS DO YOU TEACH – Eighth-grade science.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB? – That light bulb moment that students get when they understand a topic! Their eyes light up and they become more interested and engaged in science.
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB? – The most challenging part of my job is not having another year watching my students grow in our building. Once they leave me, they are off to high school!
WHAT SECRET TO SUCCESS WOULD YOU SHARE WITH STUDENTS? – To never give up. Life is going to be full of unexpected hurdles and you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to jump over them.
IS TEACHING KIDS THE SAME TODAY AS WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED? – No, it is so different! We were not one-to-one and did not have nearly as many cool things such as 3D printers, laser, engravers or a maker’s space to complete projects. Our students are so lucky!
YOUR STUDENTS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE … – … a really good rollerblader, and can rollerblade backwards.
WHAT IS YOUR HIDDEN TALENT? – I can identify almost every native animal in Ohio by their call. I am a bit of a nature nerd.
IF YOU WEREN’T A TEACHER, YOU’D BE … – … a National Park ranger at The Smoky Mountains National Park.
AFTER A LONG DAY AT WORK, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO RELAX? – Spend time outdoors with my dog Gus, read, or binge watch popular true crime documentaries.
Other nominees
ALLIANCE
Vicki McGeehen, third-grade math/science/social studies at Alliance Elementary School − Vicki McGeehen consistently exceeds expectations in addressing her students' needs and strives for excellence in her classroom, actively collaborating with colleagues to enhance her teaching craft. Her unwavering commitment to her profession brings pride to the entire Aviators community!
Nicole Morena, English Language Arts at Alliance Middle School − Nicole Morena has dedicated herself to creating a welcoming environment in her classroom for all students. She works extremely well with her colleagues as the AMS ELA department chairwoman.
CANTON CITY
Kelly Swierz, intervention specialist, Harter − Kelly is driven, organized, and inspiring. She shares her expertise willingly with colleagues and takes on extra responsibilities such as having a student join her class because of her desire to want to help.
McKenzie Harder, science, STEAMM Academy − McKenzie Harder has wisdom and skills that are way beyond her years. She works extremely hard and is a great colleague with which to work.
CANTON LOCAL
Jennifer Williams, fifth-grade math − Jennifer is a dedicated teacher who fosters a culture of continuous learning, empowering her students to excel. With unwavering dedication, she ensures that her students strive for nothing less than their best!
JACKSON LOCAL
Natalie Voytek, intervention services − Ms. Voytek is an intervention specialist at Jackson High School. She has a passion for helping students to find the right path, and makes it her mission to ensure that each child she works with graduates high school with a plan for the future. We are fortunate to have Ms. Voytek as an educator at Jackson!
LAKE LOCAL
Frank Pilato, GenYes IT Program − The GenYes IT program at Lake Middle High School provides students with an extraordinary opportunity to develop and expand their skills while earning college credits and providing much-needed technical assistance for students and staff. It takes a special person and professional to be able to develop and institute a program of this magnitude, and Frank Pilato is most certainly that person. The original vision of this endeavor has expanded significantly under Frank's leadership, establishing partnerships and internships with local colleges and businesses, and providing our students with the much-needed guidance and opportunities to develop the "soft skills" that are too often missing in young professionals. Frank is a master teacher, a trusted mentor, and an invaluable resource who continues to have a lasting impact on our students and school.
LOUISVILLE
Bob Sudomir, seventh-grade science − What sets Mr. Sudomir apart is his unwavering dedication to ensuring that each student not only engages in experiments and assignments but also comprehends the underlying scientific principles. He goes above and beyond by taking the time to sit down with individual students, engaging them in meaningful discussions about science. Mr. Sudomir's personalized approach to teaching is truly making a significant impact. By investing time and attention in every student, he fosters a deep understanding of scientific concepts and nurtures a genuine interest in the subject. His commitment to student success goes beyond the classroom, creating an environment where learning is both enjoyable and meaningful.
MARLINGTON LOCAL
Bethany Fetrow, math − Mrs. Fetrow teaches Algebra 1 and Honors Algebra 2. She is an integral part of the instructional team at Marlington High School as she helps analyze data in our teacher-based team meetings and represents our district as a member of the Advancing Capacity of Educators team for Stark County. Bethany attends lead teacher meetings as part of this team, implements new instructional strategies in her classroom and shares resources with her colleagues in the math department. Marlington High School is lucky to have Bethany Fetrow as one of its leaders.
Erica Ohler, speech and language pathologist − Mrs. Erica Ohler supports ALL students at Lexington Elementary School. She is a member of the Building Leadership Team and serves as a wealth of knowledge to her colleagues and teammates. Mrs. Ohler is a problem solver; she is solution-oriented and keeps student learning and growth a top priority. Mrs. Ohler always has a creative solution to best support students. Mrs. Ohler builds strong relationships with students and families. She is a fantastic teacher and member of the Lexington team!
MASSILLON
Kim Luckring, speech pathologist, Franklin Elementary − Kim Luckring is a speech pathologist working at Franklin Elementary. I wanted to recognize Kim for her devotion to her students. Kim works with students who have many complex needs that she patiently handles daily. Through the challenges she faces, I truly believe she sees opportunities. She has an encouraging smile, a gentle hand to lead, and a calm voice, but a relentless, goal-driven mentality. These qualities make her a valuable resource to the building and our Franklin students.
Mike Williams, eighth-grade Pre-Algebra and Geometry, Massillon Junior High School − MJHS Teacher of the Month is Mr. Mike Williams. Mr. Williams is a phenomenal teacher! His math lessons hook the students in a way that the students feel instantly connected to the "why" behind why they are learning the various math concepts. Mr. Williams is a teacher leader. He currently plays an active role on the MJHS PBIS team and our District PBIS team. As a member of the MJHS PBIS team, he helps to manage our PBIS sponsored School Behavior Management System that helps us to identify which students are meeting our Tiger Traits! Mr. Williams has really helped to make our behavior management system as user friendly as possible. He is so helpful, answering any questions and communicating with clarity the rules and expectations. When Mr. Williams is not in the classroom teaching, his interests are; anything with his family, long distance running, playing drums, guitar, and piano, along with anything related to Cleveland sports. Thank you so much, Mr. Williams, for all that you do for students and staff!
NORTH CANTON
Olivia Hauritz, intervention specialist − We are excited to recognize North Canton Intermediate School intervention specialist Olivia Hauritz for her exceptional dedication to meeting the diverse needs of her students and going above and beyond to make a positive impact on their lives. With an upbeat personality that radiates throughout the classroom, Olivia creates a learning environment where every student feels valued and supported while also being committed to understanding and addressing the individual needs of each student. In doing so, she has not only fostered academic growth but has also created a sense of community within her classroom.
Jaime Tobin, seventh-grade science teacher − Jaime Tobin is one of the most hardworking individuals at North Canton Middle School who always puts her students' needs before her own and is an incredible role model for all students. As a middle school teacher and girls basketball coach, she has an incredible talent for creating rapport and building respect with her students and athletes and will do everything in her power to ensure students’ success in the classroom and on the basketball court. Lastly, she also helps and supports her colleagues when needed and does all that she can to continue to grow and succeed as a teacher.
PERRY LOCAL
Candice Smurr, second grade − Candice is an outstanding teacher who works tirelessly to be the best she can. She is a teacher leader, and she is also very active in the Perry community. Her advocacy and leadership with the theatre program is second to none.
Emily Mazzaferri, school counselor − Emily is a wonderful person and a phenomenal school counselor. She is student-centered and always has her students' best interests at heart. Emily is also an assistant cross country and track coach, and you will see her training her runners on the streets of Perry after school.
PLAIN LOCAL
Darla Coppa, art − Mrs. Coppa brings a smile each day as she works with the students at Warstler and Taft in visual arts. Her projects integrate classroom concepts that go above and beyond the normal art classroom. Most important, she teaches her children to dream through the eyes of an artist.
Dan Nauss, orchestra strings − Dan Nauss is our multi-talented strings teacher. He is not only a gifted musician and performer, he is a master teacher who instructs all our guitar and strings students. On any given day, you can find him helping students in between classes or listening to students’ fine-tuning their performance pieces.
SANDY VALLEY
Timothy McBride, chemistry teacher − Mr. McBride brings his expertise to the classroom. He is a longtime girls' basketball coach, and has a passion for the game and coaching. Mr. McBride ignites curiosity through hands-on experiments which highlights his dedication to teaching!
This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: McKenzie Harder loves nature, teaching science in Canton
