Submitted photo | John Marrinan
Greene County Career Center teacher Rebecca “Becki” Covey was named teacher of the year by the FAIR Foundation. She is pictured with Nathan Opicka, supervisor of student affairs at the Career Center, and Will Hess and Neil Craft from James Research on behalf of Joy Anna and Barry James, who began the award years ago.
XENIA — The FAIR Foundation, component of the Greene County Community Foundation recently presented its annual teacher of the year award.
Rebecca “Becki” Covey, a teacher at the Greene County Career Center, was named the top teacher and received $1,000 from the Foundation.
Joy Anna and Barry James, among others, created the annual teacher award involving the FAIR Foundation with an original award of $500. After seeing teacher after teacher recognized for their positive interaction with students on an instructional level as well as meeting emotional and physical needs in the classroom, Barry James raised amount to the current $1,000.
Covey began at the Greene County Career Center for the 1993-94 school year, and now has more than 30 years as an educator.
“During the time, she has served in a variety of roles that benefit both staff and students, and has proven an outstanding and inspiring educator and teacher leader,” said David Deskins, superintendent of the career center. “(Covey) has been the chair of the English Department for many years, where she has led the ever-changing educational landscape including the pandemic providing guidance and support to not only the department, but to other members of the Career Center’s faculty and staff. Her efforts to co-join lessons for academic classrooms and career technical labs has helped to align learning in a way that links English to multiple learning disciplines across many paths.”
Covey has taught subjects such as advanced American literature, business writing, English 11 and 12, journalism, research, and technical writing, just to name a few. She also has helped with a yearbook class during the years when called upon.
She also works with the graduates of distinction to help them deliver inspirational and powerful speeches to audiences of thousands. Covey has also been an integral part of many initiatives and a “staple” of the Career Center community.
In addition, Covey started the Career Center’s College Credit Plus (CCP) pathway within the English Department and continues to lead a team in assisting high school students with earning college credits through her instruction. The CCP pathway has continued to grow at the Career Center, and hundreds of students earned college credit because of her efforts to go above and beyond to assist students, according to Deskins.
Terry Thomas, former superintendent of the Greene County Educational Service Center, helped establish criteria for the annual teacher award based on performance including initiatives to improve learning outcomes, innovation in the classroom, organization of co-curricular activities, use of learning materials, etc. Educators traditionally are nominated by a superintendent.
