Chester County Teachers Named Award Finalists

Kyle Hess did not always want to become a teacher. He started his career in the film industry, working as a production assistant for local shoots until the age of 29, when Hess decided he needed to do something else with his life.

The career jump has paid off dividends for Hess, spending the last six years building a reputation as one of the best teachers in Great Valley School District. His classroom demeanor and dedication to his students urged parents and administrators to nominate Hess for Citadel Bank’s Heart of Learning Award. A history teacher at Great Valley Middle School in Malvern, Hess has been named one of 15 finalists for the award, earning his classroom a $500 award.

“I haven’t really thought about the money too much, yet,” said Hess. “I will probably use it for something to help with research, maybe some iPads.”

Thousands of teachers in Chester County were eligible for this year’s award, given in conjunction with the Chester County Intermediate Unit. Parents, students and administrators submit nomination letters to panel of judges, which winnows the field down to the top 15. Three grand prize winners, one each from elementary, middle and high school levels, will be announced at a banquet honoring the teachers. Those winners will each receive an additional $1,500.

For finalists like Hess and Vicki Turner, an art teacher at Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School, the money is almost incidental compared to the words of recognition from the families they serve each day.

“This is how most teachers want to be evaluated, by their entire performance in and out of the classroom,” said Turner. “Not by looking at data from a standardized test. It’s really encouraging to see that I am connecting with the students.”

Turner has been at the middle school for nine years, teaching art to students from fifth to eighth grades. Her role as a special subject instructor has allowed Turner to build strong relationships with students as they progress through the years.

“i get them at fifth grade when they are little kids, and I am with them as they grow into young adults,” said Turner. “That consistency allows me to build a trusting relationship with me, where they feel they can come an talk to me.”

She is still considering what to do with an extra $500 at her disposal, deciding whether to use it to enhance the art classroom or help fund new playground equipment for students with special needs. Phoenixville Area High School Spanish teacher and Heart of Learning Award Finalist Alison Tell knows exactly what she wants to do with her prize.

“I am designing a critical thinking course for the ESL students,” said Tell. “I plan to purchase literature translated to their native language, such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, that they can read comfortably and discuss without struggling through a language barrier.”

The Citadel Heart of Learning Award is designed to recognize and thank Chester County’s teachers, according to Citadel’s website. It aims to raise awareness of the impact their hard work and dedication have on their students, the student’s families, and on the entire community. Since its inception, thousands of teachers have been nominated, hundreds have been named finalists and 39 have been named winners.

“The nominations we receive speak volumes about the significant impact teachers have in our community,” said Michael Schnably, Senior Vice-President at Citadel and Co-Chair for the Citadel Heart of Learning Award. “Teachers are incredibly important people in our lives, and we are proud to honor them through the Citadel Heart of Learning Award program.”

(Photo: Kyle Hess, Great Valley School District)