Bethany Gill, Churchville-Chili Senior High School
By: Kevin Doran
Updated: March 20, 2012
Our News 8 Golden Apple Award winner is a first year teacher who is already having a big impact on students. She's Bethany Gill. We surprised her at Churchville-Chili Senior High School.
Battling Bullies is a big priority in the Churchville-Chili School District. Bethany Gill is one of the teachers who delivers an important message in Health class. Miss Gill helped Junior Kari Vogel through some personal problems of her own. "She listened and she always gave me advice."
Kari says Bethany helped her believe she has a future. "I know it's gonna be pretty bright and pretty good, cause I know like wherever I go I'll always think of her." Kari thought a News 8 Golden Apple Award would be the perfect way to say thank you.
Principal Bill Geraci says Ms. Gill does a great job of understanding what's going on with her students. "Probably her greatest strength is her enthusiasm and the way she can connect with young people. Which no matter what you want to do in teaching if you can't connect, you're gonna have some struggles."
"I try to think about my experience in High School" says Bethany. "And a lot of times I wished I had that with some of my teachers. So I thought if I passed that on to my students it would be helpful for them."
Bethany believes kids need to know someone has their back. "If they think the world has turned on them then they are going to make bad decisions, they're going to make rash decisions. Them knowing they have someone to go to, there's always someone there to help them out."
Bethany Gill is a News 8 Golden Apple Award winner. If you scroll down you can read the letter we got from Kari nominating Bethany.
Dear News 8,
Ms. Gill was a huge supporter for me when I wanted to take a stand and stop bullying. She's an amazing teacher, and she makes Health class seem so fun.
She knows how to make her students smile, and laugh. I think that this award would be the best way for me to thank her for all that she has done for me in the past 13 weeks of school. I don't think any teacher would have helped me get through this bullying situation like she did. This is why I think she deserves this award .
Sincerely,
Kari Vogel
Churchville-Chili Senior High School
