Every month, an NC teacher experiences the honor of receiving the Golden Tomahawk Award. This honor signifies a teacher’s excellence in their job, as they push past expectations, specializing their teaching methods to fit each student’s individual needs. In May 2024, math teacher Hilary Armstrong received the Golden Tomahawk Award for her excellent teaching style. This month, a new candidate rose to accept the Tomahawk.
When Armstrong found herself looking for a teacher to bestow the award to, she thought Jennifer Morgan, a special education teacher, displayed the attributes of an exceptional teacher who exceeds expectations and creates a safe and comfortable classroom environment. Morgan’s colleagues found that she possesses the ability to reach out to her students in several ways, impacting their lives while teaching.
“It’s actually really overwhelming [to receive the award], I’ve spent a lot of time just doing what I do. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes kind of person, so it came as a shock that someone thought I was doing amazing. I try to make sure that my students are comfortable and that they can learn,” Morgan said.
Morgan, one of NC’s special education teachers, demonstrates the ideal traits of educators, including creativity in the classroom and connecting with students. Not only that, Morgan also embodies the prime example of the excellence NC teachers strive to achieve and inspire.
While not the Special Education Department Head for NC, Morgan leads her colleagues to inspire excellence in her coworkers. She uses her teaching methods to influence her coworkers, implementing good habits and time management in their daily lives. Her colleagues find that her techniques balance the tedium line between too fast and too slow.
”Morgan is a dedicated, hardworking, compassionate, and supportive teacher. She is extremely knowledgeable and hands-on when it comes to teaching. She balances teaching multiple preps successfully and covers the curriculum in a way that isn’t too fast or too slow,” sophomore literature and composition teacher Spencer Jordan said.
Teachers find that Morgan’s skills influence her students to achieve high both academically and socially. Her students discover their teachers appreciate their work even if they do not perfect certain academic skills. The attempt to prove good enough to the teachers, even if perfection appears not achievable.
Morgan takes pride in her work and strives to Inspire Excellence throughout the school with her positive attitude and perseverance. Outside of school, she enjoys a multitude of hobbies that allow her to connect to her students in a variety of ways through reading, baking and cross-stitching, which she balances along with traveling and spending time with her family. Morgan will continue to prove her excellence through the years.