Williston Teacher Wins Award

In recognition of inspirational teaching nationwide, Lyn Porter, a Physical Education teacher at Allen Brook School in Williston, has been named a recipient of the National University System-Sanford Teacher Award for Vermont on a surprise Zoom announcement.


Here's an excerpt from the press release:
Ms. Porter has taught Physical Education for three decades in the same school district. She has coached three sports at the middle school level, plays a role locally in setting standards for relicensure, and has been a leader in the Society for Health and Physical Education in the Eastern United States. She notes that social and emotional learning is more crucial than ever, because students do not spend as much time outdoors and lack opportunities to develop communications, negotiation, and problem-solving skills that came from playing hockey and sandlot games or building snow forts. To support this growth and teamwork, she purposefully organizes young people of mixed ability levels in small groups that encourage conversation and cooperation. She teaches students about the value of inclusion and being able to work with everyone. As the school year progresses, she organizes students into larger groups to help them become even more inclusive. Ms. Porter explains, “Listening and sharing also provides a great deal of learning. As a teacher I facilitate this learning but don't always drive the direction of the discussion. I also talk a lot about how the best athletes are not always the most skilled. They are the best athletes because they know how to make everyone on their team better.”

During a year of unprecedented challenges for teachers nationwide, the Sanford Teacher Award honors the top teacher in each state and the District of Columbia with $10,000 for supporting student development and achievement in inspirational and harmonious ways. The award was established in the name of philanthropist T. Denny Sanford, who is committed to supporting inspiring teaching nationwide through PreK-12 programs focused on developing the social and emotional (SEL) skills of young people. Each teacher recipient is now eligible to be named the national winner of the Sanford Teacher Award, which comes with a total award of $50,000 and will be announced at a future date.

Congratulations Lyn!