Shorey is Crystal Apple Award winner for October

Valley Breeze Staff Writer

CUMBERLAND - When it comes to teaching, Mikaela Shorey works hard to make Spanish class a memorable experience. Her lessons, say fellow teachers, are always enriching, relevant and she makes them as much fun as possible.

Shorey seeks out opportunities for students to interact, implementing creative ideas that help them learn and retain a new language.

No matter the time of day, Shorey's classroom is occupied not only by her own students but by other students who stop by to chat or to simply say, "Hola, Senora!"

Shorey's efforts have not gone unnoticed.

She is the October recipient of the Crystal Apple Award.

"You hold a core belief that interaction is the key to learning and you apply that belief by interacting with the students and allowing the students to interact among themselves in all your classes," reads an award letter presented to Shorey. "The result is, inevitably, students who are enthusiastic about language learning."

The Crystal Apple Award was developed by the National Education Association and Horace Mann, an insurance company that provides coverage to educators and a resource outlet for schools that provides materials and resources to aid in children's education.

Shorey received the award at last month's faculty meeting, which included an engraved crystal apple, a certificate and recognition from the faculty and administration.

This is the first year Cumberland High School has participated in the Crystal Apple Award and Shorey is the second winner.

"There are too few opportunities to celebrate things that are going very well," said Principal Dorothy Gould, adding that the award provides an opportunity for teachers to showcase the excellent accomplishments of their peers.

Shorey was described by fellow teachers as an "exceptional teacher" whose students understand that she is fair and caring and who works hard to help them succeed.

Teachers said her "enthusiastic drive" is evident in the kind of lessons she creates.

Shorey, a Smithfield High School graduate who now lives in Cumberland, graduated from Messiah College of Pennsylvania in December of 2003. She received a bachelor of arts in education and Spanish, with a concentration in TESOL, or Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Shorey is now in her sixth year teaching Spanish at Cumberland High School.