I have gone back and forth on whether to post this, but I am just super excited and I wanted my teacher-tribe to know!
There is a local award in my area called the Dawbarn Award. It is extremely prestigious and the nomination process is slightly arduous. A few weeks ago I received a call in the middle of first block to inform me that I was one of this year’s recipients. I cried in the middle of the library.
The ceremony was this past Wednesday.
Here is the blurb that was written up about me in the local paper:
[Amber] Loyacano has worked at Waynesboro High School for 12 years and has been the head of the English department for half that time.
She was nominated for a Dawbarn Education Award by a former student who remembers how Loyacano worked tirelessly to go the extra mile to remind her students that they are important, loved and capable of the highest success. “She is an advocate for every person whose voice is not always heard.”
Loyacano was instrumental in creating a diversity coalition at the school, the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), in order to give students affected by stereotypes and discrimination a welcoming community to come together in support of each other. It allows students of all identities to come together in a safe place free from judgement, a press release stated.
Her nominator remembers walking into her class one day and reading what was on the board: “Students! I am participating in the National Day of Silence. Bullying is a real problem and deserves to be recognized. I will answer questions if you need me — there is always someone available to talk if you need help — always."
I was the only awardee who had a student nominator and I think that explains my teacher life perfectly.
Please don’t view this as bragging. I just really wanted to share this because I have been lifted by this community many times and without you all I definitely would have felt less confident over my years on tumblr. So....thank you!
