Guinyard Elementary School teacher Wanda Green thought yesterday would be a normal day. It turned out to be anything but average. Green came to school completely unaware she was about to be acknowledged as South Carolina's No Child Left Behind 2007 American Star of Teaching.

"I'm very surprised and overwhelmed. They did a good job of keeping it a secret," Green said after receiving the award presented by Tracy Mulvenon of the U.S. Department of Education.

Calhoun County School District Superintendent Ken Westbury lauded Green as a person who does a great deal for the district.

"We are glad to have people of her caliber," he said.

As Green approached the podium to accept her award, she received a thunderous ovation from teachers and students alike.

"When I see the beauty of the children learning and the joy I see within them, it makes me continue to do my best," Green said.

The presentation of the award was kept secret from most people in the Calhoun County School District. Principal Dr. Jacqueline Mayo was informed of Green's accomplishment last Friday and was instructed to tell as few people as possible to preserve the surprise element of yesterday's proceedings. Even Green's mother, Lottie, was not totally informed about what was to take place Thursday morning.

Lottie Green got a call from Mayo Wednesday night and was only told to show up at Guinyard. No other details were disclosed other than she was asked not to inform her daughter.

"I'm so excited. Words can't explain what I feel right now," Mrs. Green said as her daughter received the honor.

The American Star of Teaching award is presented to one teacher in each state who demonstrates innovative teaching strategies and goes beyond the call of duty in classroom.

According to Mayo, going beyond the call of duty is more than an apt description of Green.

Mayo talked about a marquee at the front of the school which states, "Excellence is doing ordinary things, extraordinarily well," to describe Green.

Green is a ce.jpgied Montessori instructor and teaches about 20 children in the first, second and third grades simultaneously. The goal of the Montessori program is for the students to be independent and responsible in the learning process. It also encourages social interactivity between the children in accomplishing educational endeavors.

Green first became a Montessori instructor at the request of Mayo, who desired to expand the program at her school. Green did not hesitate and began driving to Laurens in the Upstate every other weekend to take classes on the program. In addition, she took summer classes Monday through Friday to become better acclimated to the Montessori teaching methods.

This selfless act is a microcosm of Green, according to Mayo.

"She stays here until 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. every night. She always is the first to volunteer. I've never heard her say 'no,'" Mayo said.

Green was even selfless in accepting a job at Guinyard several years ago. Already employed at another school district, she approached Mayo with the desire to teach at Guinyard. Unfortunately, there were no openings available at that time. Mayo was only able to offer Green a job as a teaching assistant, which meant a significant pay cut from her teaching job at the time. Without giving it a second thought, Green accepted the offer. A year later, she got the job she was originally seeking at Guinyard as a third-grade teacher.

"There are not many people so humble. She did an awesome job," Mayo said about Green's first year teaching at Guinyard.

Eventually, Green will seek a doctorate degree in early education to add to her undergraduate and master degrees from South Carolina State University. She is also pursuing national board ce.jpgication.

She said she is successful in teaching because she has a big, open heart for the children and a love for making sure they get the tools they need to excel in the classroom.

In the rare moments that Green is not helping students, she enjoys her other love of singing in the church choir and at different functions.

Green also is active in Guinyard's after-school program and often works on Saturdays to help students prepare for PACT testing. In addition, she prepares and is a host for parties for parents at the school so they can get a glimpse into what their children are doing at school.

Those at the awards program Thursday caught a glimpse into what Green is doing at school. The entire Guinyard student body was at the ceremony, and they were asked by Mayo to raise their hands if they liked the job Green did.

Immediately and simultaneously, a unanimous show of hands stretched above the students' heads.

T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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