An Alabama teacher who inspires her students to succeed will receive $10,000 from the National University System as part of its Sanford Teacher Award program.
On June 17, teachers across the country joined a surprise Zoom meeting in which Michael Cunningham, the system chancellor, announced they had been chosen as state finalists for the award.
Arlinda Davis, a first grade teacher at Avondale Elementary School in Birmingham, has devoted her life to uplifting students and encouraging them to live without fear of failure. Davis approaches her students with what she calls “radical empathy” and shows them they don’t have to let life’s circumstances dictate the outcome of their lives.
Davis was nominated by a former student whose life was transformed by her constant encouragement. The student said, “My culture, background, home life and interests were important to her. … I remember coming to school one day with the same clothes on, my hair had not been combed and I was in distress. She took one look at me and never allowed anyone including myself to know she was going to help me. She told me how beautiful I was and then told me she had a special bow only for a princess to wear. She fixed my hair and took care of me. She worked with my stepdad and counselor to help find my mom and get her off drugs. I worked hard every day I was in her class because I knew she cared for me.”
Davis is eligible to become the national winner of the Sanford Teacher Award later this year, which comes with a $50,000 prize.
The National University System was established in 2001 to meet the rising challenges and demands in education nationwide.
The National University System-Sanford Teacher Award was created to honor T. Denny Sanford, a philanthropist committed to supporting teaching programs focused on the development of students’ social and emotional skills.
Sanford spent his life giving away most of his wealth to the Sanford Programs at the National University System and other education-related initiatives.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
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