Queen chosen teacher of year

GENTRY -- Leah Queen, the third through fifth grade Gentry Intermediate physical education teacher, is the ArkAhperd 2014-2015 Teacher of the Year.

ArkAhperd stands for the Arkansas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, which is also in alliance with SHAPE (the Society of Health and Physical Educators).

Queen has spent all 14 years of her teaching career at Gentry. She will now represent Arkansas and Gentry at the Southern District Teacher of the Year competition.

During her time at Gentry she has worn many hats and given so much of her time to her passion for teaching. In 2011 she was selected to revise the Arkansas Physical Education, Health and Wellness framework and spent two weeks of her summer in Little Rock with a team of other selected teachers from across the state. Last year she and her students raised $4,544.41 for the American Heart Association through "Jump Rope for Heart." In the spring of 2014 she was recognized by the Motts Cooperation and the Arkansas CW as an outstanding P.E. teacher. She has served on the board of ArkAhperd for four years and is the 2014-2015 president. Last spring, Queen was the Arkansas and Gentry representative at the national convention and will again receive that honor in Seattle this spring.

This year, Queen will be preparing two student teachers from the University of Arkansas, one of whom is her former student from Gentry. She is the District's Health and Wellness Committee chairperson, serves on the Intermediate Leadership team, is an Arkansas Induction Mentoring Model trained mentor and enrolled at John Brown University furthering her education with an ESL endorsement.

Even though she has a lot going on, Queen takes time to get to know her students and does her best to connect with them. She believes a child who feels loved is better able to learn. She loves her students, school and the difference she makes every day.

As Queen will readily share, "Without the love and support of my Heavenly Father, family, friends, co-workers and students, none of this would be possible; I am truly blessed."

"Leah Queen's enthusiasm for her students and her profession is highly contagious," said Gentry Intermediate School principal, Denise Waters. "She is a strong positive influence at Gentry Intermediate School. We are very proud of all that she has accomplished and especially pleased to have her representing us at the state and national level."