By Julie Johansen
After sixteen years of dedicated service in Mrs. Vicki Nielsen’s classroom at Ferron Elementary, Melissa Anderson was presented the Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education. Karen Huntsman travels around the state to each school to surprise the recipients with these awards. Anderson was nominated by the students in Mrs. Nielsen’s sixth grade room. She can be seen almost every day riding her golf cart to the school to help the students.
These awards were developed 23 years ago to recognize Utah’s most influential educators. Each year. the Huntsmans seek nominations from students, classroom parents, colleagues and supervisors of the states most talented teachers. Judges then select two teachers from each of the three divisions- elementary, middle school, and high school professionals along with a dedicated volunteer and a special educational teacher who will receive the Mark H.Huntsman award for Special Education in honor of the Huntsman’s son who has disabilities.
Honorees are then invited to an awards dinner to be held in Salt Lake City in May. There, they will receive a crystal obelisk and a $10,000 check. The only stipulation is that the educators spend the money on themselves, not reinvest it in the schools or students.
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- Melissa Anderson with Karen Huntsman
