Celebrating Jackson's best educators

Once a year, five teachers who have spent countless hours grading students' tests, conferencing with parents, and learning and employing the latest pedagogy of the profession are crowned Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year. Parents, principals, students and chamber members are allowed to make nominations by submitting an essay explaining their choice, unbeknownst to the teachers. A committee then selects just five nominees -- among as many as 50 applicants -- quite a challenge and one taken seriously.

Linda Puchbauer, who is the chairwoman of the 2015 Education Committee, told the Southeast Missourian that the winners learn of their honor in the same place where they have earned that honor: their classrooms. Imagine the teachers' delight when a committee walks into their room as they are teaching and announces that they have been selected Educator of the Year.

Teachers are under a vast amount of scrutiny as they serve simultaneously as instructor, inspiration, and intermediary on a daily basis. It's one of the professions that elicits more than its share of criticism. So when dedicated educators receive the praise they deserve, we celebrate along with them. They don't do the job to receive a pat on the back, but a job well-done merits it.

As the Jackson Chamber honored this year's recipients, the nearly 200 in attendance gave them a standing ovation -- a fitting response.

Congratulations to Jackson educators Dee Wren, who won the elementary award; Jay Spurgeon, winner of the junior high/middle school award; Becky Bockelman, high school winner; Chris Crawford, who won the specialty award; and Larry Cleair of Saxony Lutheran High School, who won for best educator from a private school. Your influence in the lives of our community's youth has not gone unnoticed. We thank you for your service.