The Detroit Goodfellows on June 14 announced the winner of the eighth annual Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest — Gladys Clark, an eighth-grade teacher at Detroit Public Schools Community District’s (DPSCD) Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School!
Detroit Goodfellows board members surprised Clark in her classroom with the news and presented her with a $200 gift card to buy classroom supplies. Additionally, she will be acknowledged at the Detroit Goodfellows Annual Tribute Breakfast this fall.
The Goodfellows Board of Directors selected the winning teacher from nominations by DPSCD students in grades 3 through 8 who designated their favorite teachers by answering the question: “Why is your teacher so special?” in 50 words or less.
This year, nominations from two eighth-grade students at Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School, Jakyria Hodge, 14, and Leah Denmark,13, were chosen as winners. Each winning entry is below:
“My favorite teacher is Ms. Clark. She teaches all subjects. But my favorite subjects are English and Science. She makes it fun. She's special to me because, she has taught me for 2 years. Ms. Clark got me where I need to be, because I am going to High School in the fall. She's special to me because she's like my second mother. She makes sure I stay focus and complete all my work in a complete order. She also listens to us and we can talk and work out problems. She will also tell us, we can be somebody. That is why I am nominating my favorite teacher Ms. Clark for teacher of the year. Plus, she came out of retirement for us in room 214.” – Jakyria Hodge
“Ms. Clark is my favorite teacher. She is special to me because she taught me to enjoy science. Science was not my best or favorite subject now it is. She makes me want to do better. I want to go to college and she tells me and the class to stay focused get your education and your dreams can come true. I am in the 8th grade and she always listens and helps when she can. That is why Ms. Clark is so special to me. I wish I could of had her for more than 1 year as a nice and caring teacher. Thank you.” – Leah Denmark
Clark has been a teacher with DPSCD for 32 years and at Thurgood Marshall Elementary-Middle School for six years. The eighth-grade teacher is a resident of Detroit.
The Detroit Goodfellows sponsors the Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest to show its sincere appreciation and gratitude to DPSCD administrators, teachers and support staff who, each year, work so diligently to identify students in need of its holiday gift packages. The 103-year-old charity’s mission is to ensure that there is “No Kiddie Without a Christmas.”
Founded in 1914, the Detroit Goodfellows is the original and oldest Goodfellows organization and is not affiliated with any other Goodfellow group. It also sponsors a dental program for children through University of Detroit Mercy Dental School, awards scholarships through Wayne State University, provides free shoes to children in need and helps send hundreds of needy children to camp each summer.
The Detroit Goodfellows holds a four–star rating from Charity Navigator. As America’s premiere charity evaluator, Charity Navigator provides donors with information to give them confidence in their charitable choices. The four–star rating is the highest rating given by Charity Navigator. To view the Detroit Goodfellows Charity Navigator listing, please visit www.charitynavigator.org and search under Old Newsboys Goodfellow Fund of Detroit.
Tax-deductible donations may be sent to: The Old Newsboys’ Goodfellow Fund of Detroit, P.O. Box 44444, Detroit, MI 48244-0444. Donations may also be made using the organization’s secure website: www.detroitgoodfellows.org.
For more information about the Goodfellow Teacher of the Year contest or the Detroit Goodfellow organization, please contact Sari Klok-Schneider at (586) 775-6139 or via email at sarigoodfellows@gmail.com, visit www.detroitgoodfellows.org, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/DetroitGoodfellows or on Twitter at @Goodfellows2.