When I was in junior high, after my sister and I had made it through a good chunk of our schooling, my mom went back to school to get her teaching credential.
Well, 20 something years later, that hard work and dedication was noticed by the public school district she has worked faithfully to influence and improve. She was nominated by her principal as the San Leandro School District’s 2008 teacher of the year last June- which after all the nominations were turned in, was awarded to my mom, Karen Berry. (which my mom tells me was evidently a rarity: you usually are nominated by a teaching peer and usually the award is given to those in the middle or high school level- so this was special all around)
You can read the write up the local paper did after spending a few hours in her classroom here.
In addition, last thursday she was honored in a invitation only Alameda County Teacher of the Year banquet at Cal State in Hayward and she won a grip of gift certificates and such. If I hadn’t been in Nor Cal for the past 2 weekends, I would have tried to find a way to get there.
Perhaps one reason that I care so much about being a Christian influence in spaces where that is not so obvious is because of my mom’s passion to do just that in the San Leandro Unified School District. She has given years of her time and even money to educating and loving on her students and families- often with well over a dozen different native languages spoken in her classroom by her students. She is well known not only as a hard worker and a good teacher, but a woman who lives her life in response to her Christian convictions. It’s truly been a great chance for her to be Jesus to these kids and this recognition was not only a long time coming for my mom, but was also a great opportunity for the Kingdom of God to be given some positive press.
Way to go mom. I’m proud of you!
Husband. Dad to 5. Student Ministry Pastor. Follower of Jesus. Yatta yatta.
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