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AHS special education teacher gets surprise award

News Courier - 10/21/2018

Oct. 20--Vicki Noah, a veteran special education teacher at Athens High School, was named Educator of the Year by the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities Wednesday.

The Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities is a program of the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation. They recognized several leaders in special education from Limestone, Lawrence, Cullman and Morgan counties during the Wednesday luncheon, including Noah, who is well known for the dedication and love she has for her students.

Noah is one of only 14 special education teachers in the state to receive the award, which she said came as quite a surprise.

"Honestly, I didn't know anything about it," she said. "But I was very honored, not just for myself, but for all the special education teachers at Athens High School. The teachers here are very caring and willing to go above and beyond, everyone here deserves an award like this."

During her 22 years as a special education history teacher at AHS, Noah said her role has required her to be a mother, confidant and social worker to her students.

"We teach beyond history, math and science. We teach them to be responsible, respectful, loyal and trustworthy," she said. "I work with them in whatever they need help with."

"For some kids, you would never dream they could hold down a job, but by the time they leave here, they have more self-confidence and have gained the skills to be successful," Noah added.

Helping her students become productive citizens is a top priority for Noah.

"We want them to be ready for all post-secondary options," she said. "The sky is the limit for our kids. They should be able to take advantage of all the things possible for citizens of the United States."

As a special education teacher, Noah said it is easier for her to build relationships with her students because she has them for all four years of their high school career. Strong relationships are key to reaching students with disabilities. Currently, there are 96 special education students and four special education teachers at AHS.

"We have had several students who have come here with very serious issues and you would be amazed by the progress they have made," Noah said. "Love for kids makes a world of difference."

"Most kids have a lot of ability. It's just a matter of tapping into that and getting them to realize they have the ability," she added. "It's part of my job to show them that they can."

Noah is now eligible for the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities state Educator of the Year award, which will be announced at a future date.

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(c)2018 The News Courier (Athens, Ala.)

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