A Wayne County educator known for mentoring students in and out of the classroom has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Chanell Lucas, is a master mathematics teacher at East English Village Preparatory Academy. The school is part of Detroit 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 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 Lucas will air this evening.
Lucas says being able to play a role in the lifelong success of her students drove her to a career in education.
“I chose the field of education because I enjoy working with my students and helping people in general. I believe what drives my passion for teaching is that for some students, attaining a high school diploma will open doors for college or trade school, or whatever postsecondary options they choose. This opportunity will provide these students with a livable wage and a better quality of life.”
Lucas says helping students learn skills they will use for the rest of their lives is her favorite part of being an educator.
“Teaching is more than just showing students how to solve a math problem. Teaching provides you with an opportunity to impart knowledge and instill critical thinking skills to our future generation of teachers, nurses, scientists, lawyers, doctors, and accountants. Teaching is a field where you know that you are helping students to learn, but you have no idea of the magnitude of the impact that you may have on a student’s life, until many years later.”
A family member nominated Lucas for the award. The nomination cited the way Lucas is a mentor for her students.
“Mrs. Lucas is an outstanding Math teacher. She goes above and beyond the expatiations of just teaching. She has tutored and mentored her students in and out of the classroom to ensure that their educational needs and potentials can be met for graduation. She has also come a long way from starting as a sub teacher to becoming the Master Mathematics teacher at her school East English Village Preparatory Academy.”
Lucas earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a master’s degree from Wayne State University. She has been an educator for nine years, including the last eight years with Detroit Public Schools.
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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