School and Community Fall 2023

Catching Up With Missouri’s 2023 Teacher of the Year: Christina Andrade Melle E ducation is a powerful catalyst that can transform lives and uplift communities. No one understands owners. School changed my family’s life - it is my mission to continue that change for my own community.

this better than Christina Andrade Melly, 2023 Missouri State Teacher of the Year. Her dedication, passion and commitment to her students and community have garnered recognition and admiration from peers and leaders alike. In this interview, we delve into Christina’s journey and the profound impact this accolade has had on her as an educator and as an individual. This year has been an incredibly affirming experience. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from educators across the country and to listen to conversations at the state and national level about education. The challenges (and joys) I see in the classroom are the same all across our country. It gives me hope that, while schools are all facing similar challenges, our leaders are listening to teachers. Visiting the White House and meeting President and Dr. Biden was surreal. We spent an hour in a townhall meeting with Dr. Biden and Secretary Cardona, sharing our classroom experiences and needs. They honored teachers by listening to teachers. It was an hour of my life I wanted to record immediately, so I found a spot in the Rose Garden to sit and journal immediately afterwards! What has it meant to you to have served as Missouri State Teacher of the Year? Have you had any “pinch me” moments during your celebrations of this honor? Service to my students and community. My family is an example of the transformative power of education; In one generation, both my mother’s and my father’s families rose from working in the coal mines and steel mills to finding opportunity as engineers, pharmacists and business What do you consider to be your life’s mission?

How has your district supported you during this process? My colleagues and district have always shown me that Ritenour is home. From proofreading applications and serving as references, to making sure my students keep learning while I am out, I’ve had tremendous support. Several colleagues even presented at the Powerful Learning Conference so I would not travel to my first big event alone. It meant so much to have friends with me on this journey. How do you hope to continue your work? Do you have any specific goals you will work toward in the classroom or personally? I am excited to share this fall’s experiences with my new group of sophomores and seniors - there is so much opportunity for learning within this journey. We will all practice writing for engagement in our communities. They have been great in the past at making sure I meet my deadlines! (There’s nothing more motivational than a group of sophomores fussing at their teacher, “Do your homework! Quit procrastinating!”) One of the biggest challenges facing schools right now is teacher retention and recruitment. I hope to continue advocating for teachers’ voices in those conversations and to encourage all educators to join in. We have a collective responsibility to our students and ourselves to advance public education. Do you have any words of encouragement for your fellow educators? We are never alone in this work. Remember to get close to the people around you - colleagues, families, your community - and stay curious about the problems we all face. By listening to one another, we can find a collective path forward for everyone.

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