A Kent County educator who is known for making education accessible to all of her students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Celia Bissett, is a fifth and sixth grade math teacher at Highlands Middle School. The school is part of the Northview Public Schools.
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 $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award 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, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Bissett will air this evening.
Bissett said her experiences as a student attracted her to a career in education.
“What attracted me to a career in education stems from my own experiences as a student. I did not realize, until I was older, how much my childhood influenced my love for school and my love for learning. I knew early on in high school that I wanted to be a math teacher. I am grateful for the many outstanding educators in Calumet, Michigan that pushed us to excel in and out of the classroom. I loved the social aspect of school sports, band, and clubs that built community. I remember feeling safe, supported and challenged and I want the same for my students. Those early role models showed me the impact a teacher can have on a person for generations. I think of it now as passing the torch. I want students to love being at school as much as I did.”
Bissett was nominated for the award by the parent of a student.
“Celia Bissett has taught my son advanced math for the last two years. Celia is not simply a phenomenal educator instructing a difficult subject. In any conversation with her, it’s clear she cares deeply about her students, and in return, they care and respect her. She thinks really deeply about how children learn differently and how best to convey information to make it accessible to everyone. By making the curriculum relatable, she encourages her students to notice math in the real world. This has led to my son calculating travel times based on speed and distance during road trips, calculating the square footage of our house, budgeting at the grocery store, and countless other real-world applications. She doesn’t just teach principals but how to use them appropriately. Mrs. Bissett has inspired my boy to learn far more than could ever be expected from a middle school math teacher. She shares her passion for culture, constantly going above and beyond – baking and sharing special treats, stories, and songs that make her classroom a warm, inviting, fun place. It’s quite frankly astounding to me that my child has taken it upon himself to learn a new language (Swedish of all things!), and I have Mrs. Bissett to thank for that. The efforts of this amazing woman should be acknowledged and celebrated; she is truly an inspiration.”
Bissett earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University and a master’s degree from Michigan State University. She has been an educator for 24 years, the last 19 in her current position.
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.
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The Michigan Lottery is giving players a chance to double and triple their fun, and their winnings, in February with the Club Keno Tripler Time promotion.
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