Feature Photo By: Salmata Soulemane – Spanish one teacher Savannah Kay poses in her room. She has been voted Female Teacher of the Year.
Alabama born and raised, Savannah Kay is a Spanish one teacher at Rangeview High School. This is her second year teaching at Rangeview and she has recently been voted by the student body as Female Teacher of the Year.
Coming from a home consisting of strong core value, her contrasting personality is seen almost as a black sheep in her family. However, her bold personality didn’t change for anyone or anything.
In her two years, Ms. Kay has continuously been beneficial to those she has the chance to meet. Her contribution to the school has sparked a change in education and a majority of students she has come across.
Ms. Kay’s form of teaching is different from others in her department when it comes to the interpretation of the Spanish language. She teaches with comprehensible input, a form of teaching which has already started to make improvements to students ways of learning, comprehension, and comfortability of a foreign language.
“I got into teaching to be the teacher that I wish I had when I was in high school,” Ms.Kay said. “In specifics to Rangeview, I want people to leave my class with a real-life skill and I want them to come in feeling challenged but also successful, which that is such a fine line, but if you can hit that sweet spot then that’s the ideal classroom for me.”
Her ideal classroom has been fulfilled in the midst of two years with the strong bond she is able to contribute and create with her students. Ms. Kay is able to create an atmosphere intended for stimulative learning but valuable.
Senior Quincey Jewett says, “She’ll provide me with tools and help to be better in her class.”
Her class is decorated with posters and word walls along with hints and tips for studying the Spanish language.
Aside from her academic rigor, Ms. Kay has emphasized her personal and emotional availability to Rangeview High School. Many students say they find themselves not only looking forward to her class, but to her as a person.
”Ms.Kay has helped me open up emotionally because she’s easily approachable,” sophomore Brianna Linnear said. “She’s very easy to talk to and always willing to listen to the students about a personal problem and is very understanding.”
Some say that her positive attitude and peppy mindset is a strong influence and shifts peoples days either good or bad.
Jewett says, “With Ms.Kay she so positive, she’s not just a teacher, she’s like someone you can talk to if you need help with any problems at home, school and anything in general.”
Her fellow staff members find themselves feeling her joyous and bright energy when she steps into Rangeview.
“Ms. Kay has impacted the language department in a super successful way. She came in as a first-year teacher and found it important to help encourage us all to be better language teachers. She inspired us to teach in a new way that’s better for students,” Spanish teacher Emilee Velander says.
Her positive energy sprouts from her love for Spanish and for her students. Kay is seen as a strong female component for initiative and strength in avocation and education.
Ms. Kay said, “My goal for whether it’s like a student coming into my class or like other people, is that after interacting with me whether it be for an hour in a class or something that they leave in a better mood than they came in.”
