Whitwell High School's Elishea Roberts Wins Golden Apple

Adapting to new technology and teaching a way students can understand is vital in today's classroom... Even more so when your subject is science.

At Whitwell High School there's a biology teacher being praised for her methods.

Elishea Roberts is this week's Golden Apple Award winner...

Genetic mapping and trait inheritance aren't easy subjects, but in Elishea Roberts' classroom students understand.

Roberts says, "They love it and I have a good time teaching it to them."

The Biology teacher has been in the classroom 4 years and she thinks the challenge is half the fun, "I like to be able to talk about the complicated things."

Roberts pushes her kids to reach the next level and she gets excited about the lessons they learn.

It's something her fellow educators appreciate.

Principal Madeline Ware reads from her Golden Apple nomination letter, "As her principal I am delighted to have Ms. Roberts on my staff."

Ware says Ms. Roberts' enthusiasm for science spreads to her students.

She says kids want to be in Ms. Roberts' classroom, "She's always coming up with new things to do."

Ms. Roberts makes a habit of looking for best practices and making the learning process easier for everyone.

She maintains a website just for her students and even posts class notes and study guides, "Brains, intelligence, it knows no boundaries."

Roberts' goal is to push her students past what they think they can achieve, and show them to exceed limitations, "I'm hoping that there will be at least one child somewhere that will say, 'Ya know, Ms. Roberts cared about me and she told me that the reason she was so hard on me was because she wants me to make it and because of her I made it.'"

To nominate your special teacher, pick up an entry form at your local Bi-Lo or you can print one.

Send it to:

Golden Apple Award
P.O. Box 2438
Chattanooga, TN 37409 

And watch WDEF News 12 Tuesday nights at 6:00 to see if your teacher was chosen.