New Hope High School's Blake Miller, recognizing Jennifer Burgess: “When I think of Jennifer Burgess, the obvious titles come to mind: Teacher, Mentor, Counselor, etc. There is but concealed beneath the insinuation of a job description someone that at heart actually cares for not only her Students, but their Instruction as a whole. The dissimilarity of the two are separate but equal to endorse. When I first transferred to New Hope I was taking Statistics and was told there was an online version a part of the Edgenuity platform. Spoiler alert, there was nothing of the sort. This left Ms. Burgess and I with no textbook, little framework or documentation to progress from. She took the prospect in stride to work with what we had and presented both of us with new learning challenges. Maggie Gallagher once said, “Of all the hard jobs around, one of the hardest is being a good teacher.” Jennifer Burgess is not only measured as a good teacher but a respectable practitioner who through life has encouraged others to excel in both their education and forthcoming development.”
New Hope High School's Joel Plasencio, recognizing Kimberly Payne: “I was not too good at ‘normal’ high school. I believe I was in the bottom 50 percent, if not lower. I would either sit alone, or with my sister, at lunch about every day. I almost never did homework, and the only club or elective I was really active in was jazz. I do not resent or despise ‘normal’ high school. It is not bad, just bad for people like me. Once I was lucky enough to be put into New Hope, my grades shot up. I no longer sat alone at lunch, and I was active in every club I could find time for. I am also thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet Kimberly Payne. Someone who looked at me as more than a statistic or sloth and genuinely guided me through defining who I am as an individual. She helped me realize how much I value things like empathy, individuality and listening with intent. She made this time of stress and hardships into a time of growth and understanding. We need to have more funding for, and more schools like, New Hope, for there is so much unrealized potential being pushed into a box. And it is people like Kimberly Payne who can help us squeeze out and become more than a low tier number. Thank you.”
