Rockville Car Dealer Gifts Car To MCPS Teacher Of The Year

ROCKVILLE, MD — Inge Chichester, Montgomery County Public Schools' 2020 teacher of the year, has been gifted a new car.

Fitzgerald Hyundai Rockville announced it had Chichester a free, one-year lease for a Sonata last week.

"We are always proud to recognize the best teachers in Montgomery County," said Dottie Fitzgerald, vice president of Fitzgerald Auto Malls. "They create the foundation for students who become our future customers and associates. And Ms. Chichester brings out the best in her students, we need more of her positive enthusiasm."

Chichester, a World Studies content specialist at Sligo Middle School, won the school system's highest honor in May. The 19-year veteran of MCPS will now compete for Maryland Teacher of the Year.

"Chichester expects greatness from her students and is a fierce advocate for them," MCPS said in a statement. "She brings compassion to the job and actively seeks out students in need of academic support. She greets all students as they come through the main doors every morning with a bullhorn. She ends every student conversation with her motto: 'I love you to life!'"

Outside school hours, Chichester has been delivering snacks to her students. She said the new car will help her do just that.

"I've been delivering snacks to my students since the school year began. This is my way to try and build a connection with my kids and their families — and to let them know that I am really here, that I'm not just a person who is on the other side of the computer monitor," Chichester said in an interview with MCPS TV. "So I'm excited because that means ... I'll have a new vehicle that I can actually drive to drop off the snacks to them."