Jessie Bassett (right) poses for a photo with Michigan Lottery public relations director, Jeff Holyfield, after accepting her Excellence in Education Award.

A Saginaw County educator known for engaging students with hands on and real world experiences and for her dedication to help students develop personally as well as academically has been honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Jessie Bassett, teaches science and math at Frankenmuth High School, which is part of the Frankenmuth School District.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence in Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a plaque, a $1,500 cash prize, and a $500 grant to their classroom, school or school district.  One of the weekly winners will be selected as the Educator of the Year and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations:  WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, and WNEM-TV in Saginaw. The news segment featuring Bassett will air this evening in Grand Rapids and Lansing, and then on Thursday in Saginaw and Detroit.

“Teaching is my calling. It’s part of who I am. My Mom was a teacher so you could say it’s genetic. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I never work.  I go to school and teach!” Bassett said.

She said the students, her colleagues, and the Frankenmuth community motivate her to do her best every day.

“I treat my students as if they were my own kids. I truly care about their well-being. I want them to have someone to rely on. Our school’s staff members are all on the same page.  We are here for the kids,” Bassett said.

“We want to influence our kids so that they will leave us being not only well educated, but also productive and kind citizens in our world.  I love our community and our school district and am thankful to teach at our high school and have my own children attend there as well.”

A colleague nominated Bassett for the Excellence in Education award, describing her as “a master teacher whose myriad contributions to Frankenmuth High School shape the school’s culture and the students’ experience here every day. She has been named our school’s ‘Most Spirited Teacher’ multiple years in a row.”

Jessie Bassett is interviewed after being presented with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

“She provides hands on and real-world learning opportunities for her students, and she sparks their interest and attention through engaging activities. Mrs. Bassett teaches a wide array of classes from a co-taught section of ninth graders in Algebra I to juniors and seniors in Algebra IIA/IIB, Physiology, and Advanced Placement Biology,” the nomination said, adding that Bassett also chairs the school improvement committee, serves as the prom adviser and Science Olympiad co-adviser.

“Mrs. Bassett truly is an asset to Frankenmuth High School, its students, staff, and families.”

Bassett earned a bachelor of science degree in education from Saginaw Valley State University and a master’s degree in natural science education, also from Saginaw Valley State.  She has been an educator for 20 years, all with the Frankenmuth School District.

Outstanding public school educators may be nominated for an Excellence in Education award at http://bit.ly/ExcellenceInEducation or through the websites of the Lottery’s media partner stations.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
• Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
• Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
• Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
• Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.