DECATUR -- "This is a complete surprise," said Jessica Hartman after receiving an award from a local Northwest Arkansas insurance company.
Sarah Day and Allie Norrell, from BHC Insurance in Lowell, presented Hartman with the company's "We Love Teachers" award in her classroom at Decatur Middle School on Feb. 2, to the elation of her students.
"I'm shocked," Hartman said.
Hartman received a gift card from Day to help with the everyday expenses that teachers have.
"We took to Facebook to ask people to nominate area educators who go above and beyond," the bhca.com website states. "You told us heartwarming stories of teachers who are making an amazing impact on the lives of children every day. We've awarded 10 of them $200 gift cards to help offset their classroom costs. Call it just a little 'insurance' to help them continue giving students a bright future. We're thankful for all they do."
One of Hartman's colleagues at Decatur Middle School, Joy Foreman, nominated Hartman for the BHC award.
"Jessica goes above and beyond the title of teacher," Foreman wrote." She works hard to become an important person in the lives of her students. They know they can depend on her at all times."
In addition to her teaching duties, Hartman is also the coach of the Decatur High School volleyball team, which just came off of a very successful first season.
Hartman, along with Jessi Castagna, worked long hours to organize practice schedules, fill out paper work and attend classes to make two of her students' dreams become a reality. This is the kind of teacher that Jessica Hartman is, the kind of teacher that students will remember long after diplomas are handed out.
General News on 02/17/2016