Saturday, April 23, 2016
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Hannah Wine always knew she wanted to help people.
In high school, she thought she would be a nurse. Then she started to work with children.
“I knew I wanted to work with children so I decided to be a teacher,” Wine said.
The William Holmes McGuffey Elementary School first-grade teacher was selected as Teacher of the Year for the city school district.
A tearful Wine received the honor Friday morning at the school. She will represent the city school district as she vies for Ohio Teacher of the Year.
“I’m just overwhelmed,” she said.
Principal Cathy Dorbish gathered teachers in the school library, telling them it was a morning meeting.
Wine suspected that wasn’t the real reason when she caught a glimpse of someone carrying a cake.
Wine was chosen from 14 nominees, each nominated by his or her respective principal.
Dorbish said she has a lot of wonderful teachers at her school.
“I’ve worked with Hannah for the last four years, and she really gives it her all,” Dorbish said. “It really is all about the kids.”
Wine, a native of Chicago, moved to the Mahoning Valley to attend Youngstown State University. She decided to stay.
“I was so excited when I got the call to interview for Youngstown City,” she said.
She was thrilled when she got hired.
“I knew I wanted to work in an inner city,” Wine said.
She’s been a teacher for six years. She worked four years as a kindergarten teacher, worked last year as a literacy coach and moved to first grade.
Tim Filipovich, executive director of teaching and learning, said the nominees have to submit their resumes and answer essay questions. Each is interviewed and Filipovich and a member of his curriculum team conduct walk-throughs of each of the teachers’ classrooms.
The winner is chosen based on the scores.
That enabled Filipovich to see those teachers doing what they do best.
“It gave me the opportunity to see what phenomenal teachers we have,” he said. “Their world is the children.”
Wine said the best part of her job is working with the children every day and seeing them learn.
“I have a passion for children and for what I do,” she said.