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Four Miami Unified School District teachers got a happy surprise visit to their classrooms last week, learning they had each won $500 for classroom supplies from APS. Bringing the awards in person were the utility’s executive vice president, Jose Esparza – a Miami native with deep community roots – and Katie Conner of APS media relations.
Three of the winners teach at Miami Jr./Sr. High School: Julia Crawford (12th grade), Daniel Hill (12th grade) and Felicia Wilson (ninth grade); the fourth, Ana Kearns, teaches third grade at Lee Kornegay Intermediate School.
“This is crazy. This is awesome,” said a delighted Crawford, adding that she could have done a flip; in Kearns’ class, every student raised a hand when asked if she deserved the award.
Conner said this was the sixth year of APS’ Supply My Class program, and that there had been 8,700 applicants – the most APS has ever had. Five hundred teachers were chosen from that group. “This is the first time we’ve done all 500 surprises in person, which has been fun,” Conner said.
“We’re really trying to award teachers for all they do for the community,” said Esparza. “We understand that it’s one of the most important jobs you can have.”
“It brings back memories,” he added as he revisited his old school and checked out the newly redone football stadium. “As soon as you drive in, you have all these memories flooding back.” Esparza’s family has been here since the late 1920s, and it was a great-aunt who started La Casita Café. He is “proud to say I’m part of the family. They’ve always been there to serve the community, and have become part of its fabric. I take a lot of inspiration from serving the community.”
