SYF Celebrates Outstanding Network at Conference – 2022 Administrator and Teacher of the Year award (AOTY and TOTY) winners

SYF has a network of over 500 hard-working, persevering, and determined teachers and administrators; individuals who stop at nothing to ensure their students have every opportunity to succeed. Every year, at SYF’s National Educator Conference, two such individuals are recognized – a teacher and an administrator – when we name them SYF’s Teacher and Administrator of the Year. Nominated by their peers, these educators make an impact on their students’ lives and in their communities every day.

Please join SYF in congratulating the 2022 Teacher of the Year Adrienne Meeks, from Simon Youth Academy at Orlando Outlet Marketplace in Orlando, Florida, and the 2022 Administrator of the Year, Tammi Broadus, from Simon Youth Academy at Greenfield-Central Schools in Greenfield, Indiana.

 

 

Adrienne is an English teacher who created a “Starbooks Café” in her Academy. She serves the students coffee and tea as the barista while also recommending “book tastings” to get her students interested in reading new materials. She has also created a Food Truck Book Project to show off students’ independent reading by creating menu items that relate to the book. She has incorporated a Shakespeare competition for her students who have then signed up for the English-Speaking Union Shakespeare competition, where students can earn cash prizes and a trip to New York to compete nationally. The result is that her students are engaged, learning, and moving toward graduation with valuable life-long skills.

Tammi is a social worker for her Academy in Greenfield, Indiana. She meets with students daily to set and evaluate their daily, weekly, quarterly, and yearly goals. She has created support groups for her students that meet three days per week that have had significant positive impacts on the lives of her students. Tammi believes that relationships are the key to the success of her Academy. She creates an environment where students feel safe and heard. With their basic needs taken care of, students can concentrate on completing their graduation requirements.  She has also created and organized a community fair where employers, trade schools, and other organizations come together for students to explore all the ways they can contribute to their community before and after graduation.