Each year, we take pride in celebrating the critical work educators do for our community, and the creative ways they go above and beyond for their students. This year, the title “Heroes in the Classroom” felt more fitting than ever. As we read through nominations about teachers spending their time and resources to care for the well-being of their students, it was clear they felt the impact of the pandemic more closely than many. Their efforts to ignite passion in their students while facing the challenges of the 2020-21 academic year have been unlike any other. That is why it gave us great pleasure to celebrate our 2021 Heroes in the Classroom at the Seattle Seahawks final home game against the Detroit Lions!
With all the incredible nominations that poured in this year, it was difficult to narrow down just four winners. The finalists were chosen for the 2021 Meet our Heroes in the Classroom. Learn about the incredible impact they have had on their schools below.
Teacher’s Name: Jeffrey Erickson
From: Robert Frost Elementary
Mr. Erickson is an energetic kindergarten teacher at Robert Frost Elementary school. He was selected as a winner for the way he makes every student in his classroom know they are important. When school closed due to the pandemic, he personally made sure all his students had enough food to eat and the necessary supplies to learn. He made sure his students felt celebrated throughout the pandemic by attending Zoom and drive-by birthday parties and sporting events. He makes a point to connect with each of his students and celebrate them all as the unique individuals they are. He does it all with the most infectious positive energy which makes his classroom an exciting place to learn.
Teacher’s Name: Nadine Ottele
From: Silver Ridge Elementary
Nadine Ottele has been a lunch lady at Silver Ridge Elementary School for 22 years! She was selected as a winner for the way she has approaches her work with dedication and enthusiasm. As an incredibly hard worker, she will often take on multiple roles at a time. When the pandemic moved students to remote learning, she packed lunches for the students each day and standing outside in all weather to hand meals out to cars. When some students were unable to get meals without transportation, she drove the district van to deliver them meals to their home. In the words of her nominator “she is a kind, selfless lady and does it all with a smile on her face.
Teacher’s Name: Patricia Miller
From: North Tapps Middle
Patricia Miller is a Special Ed teacher at North Tapps Middle School, and was selected as a winner for the special attention she gives to every child in her classroom. Helping her students learn how to be successful is much more than a job to her, it is a passion. No matter how difficult a day is, she is always looking for ways to make it better for her students in a way that works for each of them individually. During the pandemic, she never missed a student’s birthday and organized celebrations on the front stoop of their homes complete with gifts and balloons. When students move on from middle school, she organizes dinners and meet-ups to stay connected. In the words of her nominator, “she has taught me that every child has so much to give and so much to tell, no matter where they come from or what their special need is, we just need to listen harder and not just with our ears!
Teacher’s Name: Heidi Trudel
From: Louisa Boren STEM K-8
Mrs. Heidi Trudel, a second grade teacher at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 PTA, was selected as a winner for the way she inspires her students to be thinkers, creators, and innovators. Her nomination included numerous stories of how beloved she is by the students, staff, and parents in her school. Not only does she carefully curate lessons that are fun and dynamic, she also focuses on social emotional learning and racial justice to make sure her classroom is a welcome space for all. In the words of her nominator, “students walk out of her class prouder, smarter, kinder, and better humans.” To top it all off, In the 15 years she’s been teaching in Seattle, she has single-handedly raised over $100,000 in classroom technology through thousands of carefully written projects, which were funded by small donors to bring coding, computer science, engineering, and robotics to all her students.
Want to know who our 2020 winners were? Check out last years winners and stay tuned for open nominations at the end of the year.
