Kovel wins NC Teacher of the Year

Kovel+and+her+brother%2C+Adam%2C+share+emotions+after+hearing+she+won+NCs+Teacher+of+the+Year.

Fatima Elfakahany

Kovel and her brother, Adam, share emotions after hearing she won NC’s Teacher of the Year.

Adam Kovel, Editor-in Chief

NC congratulated its 2016 Teacher of the Year, Lindsay Kovel, on March 22.

Kovel tears up with joy after winning TOTY.
Michael Smith
Kovel tears up with joy around former students and marching band members after winning TOTY.

Kovel teaches three different courses: AP Language, Journalism, and Honors American Literature. Her finalist nomination came against two other esteemed, established NC teachers: Pamela Roach and Nena Tippens.

“I think it’s a very special honor for her because not simply is she a phenomenal teacher, but also the fact that she is an alumni of North Cobb high school puts a special touch to it. She’s also involved with the newspaper and how she’s brought that to a national level. So I think she’s great instructionally, in the department, but what she brings to the big picture being a student here to where she has come and how she is now passing it back to other Warriors,” Principal Bucky Horton said.

NC honored Kovel with orange and white flowers.
Michael Smith
NC honored Kovel with orange and white flowers.

During a quiet third period, Horton, Band Director Scott Pannell, and around 20 marching band members stormed the 600 hall en route to surprise the unsuspecting Kovel with a bouquet of orange and white flowers.

As the celebration commenced, fellow english teachers and friends Jenna Essenburg and Renee Brown ran into room 611, jumping up and down with joy.

“I nominated the teacher of the year!” Essenburg said with a personal pride.

Kovel’s victory comes after three consecutive years nominated at the school level, along with winning Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Adviser of the Year at last spring’s annual award ceremony due to her continued dedication and expertise within her versatile field.

If Kovel’s tears did not sum her emotions clearly after the noise calmed, her words did when she said, “I need to call my mom.”