Speaker 1: 0:00

All right. So everybody, welcome to our most recent episode of the Husky Huddle. We have been offline for a while, but we are so excited that we can get back online with such exciting news, such as speaking to our local nominee for Teacher of the Year. We're so excited Andrea Neese is here to join us today and I appreciate you coming on because, first of all, as I said, if we're going to re inaugurate the podcast, it has to be for something important. Yeah, and talking to you, I feel like I'm in the presence of teaching royalty.

Speaker 2: 0:34

So thank you for coming.

Speaker 1: 0:36

And so, andrea, I'm so excited to have you on, and so generally what I do whenever we have these types of interviews on the podcast is I tell people tell me about yourself, sure, so I don't know, it's been, it's such a crazy week.

Speaker 2: 0:56

So I've been teaching like or in special education for about 11, 12 years now. I started out in educational advocacy, the educational law side of it. Graduated from St Bonaventure, so super local, wasn't your traditional student. You know I was married my senior year of you know, college. I graduated and had my son, my first son, 10 years ago. He'll be 11 soon.

Speaker 2: 1:21

So you know, kind of that really nontraditional student. I loved education and kind of that really non-traditional student. I loved education and kind of continued but I wasn't really quite sure if I wanted to, you know, go into the classroom quite yet. So I went into the educational law side of things with actually Directions and Independent Living down the hall here or down the street. So kind of started out there. But then you know I was missing the school, missing the inside of the classroom. I worked with several of our Cat County school districts within my role there with directions but I was missing, you know, the classroom, the life skill classroom, which is my true passion. I absolutely love my class here in Oleon and at the high school and I love that we get to do all of the fun stuff, all the life skills, the community building and all of the work-based activities that we do. It's just I love it.

Speaker 2: 2:13

But I mean me as a person. I'm a mom of two boys, very active boys. Just this past weekend my son was wrestling in the Pennsylvania State Championship. Didn't end, you know, quite like we had planned. He actually has a Tommy John injury to the elbow. So, you know, yesterday it was some pretty crushing news for him. So you know, kind of moving forward with that and really kind of persevering and starting that recovery process and you know, moving forward. But you know, just I'm a happy-go-lucky person. It just, you know, kind of carries on to my children and he's ready to conquer that. That's awesome.

Speaker 1: 2:48

Yeah, and it's such an honor to even get to the Pennsylvania championship. Yeah, so he's worked really hard.

Speaker 2: 2:56

I mean he practices seven days a week, you know. So we're constantly on the go, we're constantly at practice and constantly putting in that work and effort. And you know he's got that mindset and determination. So, yeah, he keeps me busy for sure.

Speaker 1: 3:17

That's wonderful, that's great, and so he must have been along with other friends and family very proud to hear that you were nominated for Teacher of the Year.

Speaker 2: 3:26

Teacher of the year, yeah, it's actually um america's like america as a whole favorite teacher, um, and when I like it is in, like it's incredible, it's insane. Um, so I received, like this call, um, and I also like received a follow-up email. Because I didn't answer the phone call, like I had no idea where you know this number. I was like I have no clue who this is. So it kind of, you know, went by the wayside, had a couple emails like you know, mrs Neese, we've been trying to reach you. So I finally like answered the phone call and they're like hi, mrs Neese, like you've been nominated for America's favorite teacher. And I was like what and I mean, through this process, like I've been really trying super hard to figure out who nominated me Um, like I had a few people um ask me you know some questions for, like a presentation, or um, like I've had St Bonaventure students you know as um interns.

Speaker 2: 4:18

You, you know why did you become a teacher? You know, if you were, if you could do this, you know what would you do? Or you know what's your memorable moment teaching. And so, like these questions now became part of my nomination. Wow, and I'm like, okay, hey, hey, you know those questions that you asked me before, like, did you nominate me?

Speaker 2: 4:46

And they're like I don't know, I'm not telling, so, I don't know but to whoever you are or whoever you know did make this nomination, I am truly honored and just absolutely like, blessed beyond belief. Like I'm just what I'm doing, either here or in the community, or, you know, just anybody seeing, you know, even through our Facebook media page for our school district, they're seeing what we're doing in my classroom. You know, day in, day out, the effort that you know the students put in and we put in making their work-based learning experience amazing. Clearly, what we're doing is being seen. So to me that's like wow, okay, what I'm doing is actually making a difference to not only my students and their families, but to the person who felt like I was observing or, you know, being a, you know needing this nomination. So, whoever you are, thank you so much. I have no words to say to you, but other than like thank you and truly blessed, like for real.

Speaker 1: 5:47

And the cool thing is, I've gone along with some of the activities that your class has participated in and, for example, the coffee was super fun, so fun, so fun in and, for example, the coffee, yeah, I think was super fun, so fun, so fun. What an awesome way to connect work-based experiences with something as fun as coffee roasting and then connecting it with other ways to connect within the community that was pretty cool. Yeah, so we're super happy. More about that.

Speaker 2: 6:13

Yeah, so we're really really like excited, excited about that. So Rocket Cup Coffee here in Olean. They kind of like had said before like hey, let's do a coffee tasting. You know, let's get the staff involved. You know kind of really that school community relationship and they are striving and seeking for that. So our job coach, leah Graves, and I kind of you know put that together. We went to their location in Cataraugus. The students learned about, you know, some jobs that they have up in. You know, being a barista and kind of learning how you can brew like all of the different types of coffee and there's endless possibilities up there. But then we went below the restaurant and the coffee shop there and they truly learned like from the bean you know how is it harvested and how does it come here and then they roasted and the thought process was to really bring like a classroom enterprise for my students here in Olean to have like a coffee shop within the classroom.

Speaker 2: 7:16

Yeah. So we've had a lot of great feedback for that. The staff is like oh awesome, we love this coffee. And what was, like, I guess, truly awesome about our trip there is the students roasted their own coffee beans. We blended two different kinds of beans to create our own Husky blend. So it's going to be like a signature blend for our Husky community. It will be available, you know, for purchase, you know, here in the near future, bagged up with our Husky logo and hopefully like bringing a true coffee shop here for our staff within the school and allowing my students to kind of be those baristas you know taking on, you know that exchange of money and you know really learning how to run a classroom enterprise or a business.

Speaker 1: 8:05

So really excited for that opportunity. The cool thing about that is something as ubiquitous as getting a cup of coffee. It helps our students get connected with how that is a way to participate and work and be a meaningful part of our community. So that was a great opportunity. But you guys do several of these opportunities during the year. And it's always really nice to see how our students are really interested in these opportunities and they get to go and be able to participate and they learn. I know I learned.

Speaker 1: 8:39

I learned not so much Heat your water past 200 degrees. Yes, which apparently was something I was doing. Yes, that's why I was having a really yucky cup of coffee, right.

Speaker 2: 8:49

And another thing was not to like buy the flavored coffee, right, put the flavor in after you brew your coffee, like that. I was like, was like whoa, wait, I always buy like french vanilla beans or something, and they're like, oh no, no, no, like that is that, takes your, that, takes it right away, right, um, so use, like the, the liquid flavors if you're going to flavor your coffee. So there was a lot of good takeaways, for sure that we learned absolutely so.

Speaker 1: 9:13

It was a really meaningful day, uh, not just for students, but even for us, right? We learn something new every day, so that's also a cool thing, so we are really excited that you have been nominated. I'm glad you answered the phone, yeah, and answered the email to be nominated as America's Favorite Teacher, and so some of the message that is out there is that you've consistently gone above and beyond for your students, creating a positive impact in and out of the classroom, and it's certainly a well-deserved recognition of all of the work, passion and dedication that you bring to teaching every day. So I will encourage everybody to pull the sled together again and show our support to you with this amazing title, and voting is still open.

Speaker 2: 10:05

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:06

So, actually just this past week, they kind of break it down into tiers it's round one, round two. Now we're moving on to round three, which I must have to get to that next level of reaching the top 10 teachers. And right now, like I, I I went to top 20, may top 15. And now I'm in in the running, you know to, to continue on to the top 10, to keep moving in this process. So I guess, from my understanding is, each week you, you continue to move up the ladder and if you make it in that top, you know 10, 5, whichever it may be, then you continue moving on the competition. So top 10 ends March 20th, okay. So yeah, please continue voting.

Speaker 2: 10:53

It's all now based on, like, popularity. You know through that social media page. You know reading why we are nominated and what it means to us. So you know read why we are nominated and what it means to us. So you know you read all of them, choose which one you feel you know is the best deserved of this. You know national title of America's favorite teacher.

Speaker 1: 11:12

But well, yeah, I mean thank you. I will continue to have my vote, because what's awesome not only is a way to recognize you, but also as being designated as America's favorite teachers. There's some interesting things that you'll get, including maybe money and a trip to Hawaii and an appearance in Reader's Digest. Yeah, and then I can say once again that I know you, and I knew you way back when and I know you after that.

Speaker 2: 11:38

So another thing, like my students are so part of winning the. You know the top prize is getting Bill Nye, the science guy, and he is like one of my favorite human beings on the planet.

Speaker 1: 11:50

Yeah, so I'm so excited.

Speaker 2: 11:52

The students you know are coming up hey, mrs Neese, we hope you win. We want Bill Nye to come here. So even some of the students are really like you know, obviously our students have Facebook and you know that social media presence there. So they're even seeing it and like, coming to my classroom, yo, miss Neese, and I'm like hi guys Like hey, did you vote? And they're like yeah, we voted this morning. So you know, continue to vote every day. It's like a 24 hour.

Speaker 2: 12:16

You vote every 24 hours, you know and there's that, you know it's free to vote, you know, and there's that, um, you know it's it's it's free to vote. You know, get on the website. Um, I know our district has posted it. Several of our community members and, and, um, you know, area businesses have have shared it as well. So, thank you to everyone. You know, just showing your support is is wow, like very, you know, heartfelt thank you, um. But yeah, it's pretty, pretty awesome that I was like, oh, my gosh, like this is where I'm supposed to be, this is the classroom that I'm supposed to be with, and it's been amazing. The support is absolutely amazing.

Speaker 1: 12:51

Yeah, and that recognition is amazing and, once again, anything to get Bill Nye to come and do an assembly with us.

Speaker 2: 12:58

Oh my gosh, how awesome, would that be?

Speaker 1: 13:00

So is there anything that you would like to leave as your closing remarks about this fact?

Speaker 2: 13:06

that what I am doing through my class, through the community, you know, even as a mother, as a coach, you know anything. I'm on several school athletic boards for my kids. But just what I am doing and the person that I am is being noticed and I think that is the truly like humbling part about it. All you know, and just like just you know, walking down the street just the other day, you know, getting into my car leaving the district, mrs Ne know, and just like just you know, walking down the street just the other day, you know, getting into my car leaving the district, Mrs Neese, congratulations Like wow. It just kind of really puts like a warming, you know place in your heart that I'm truly in the right district, I'm truly part of a supportive community, a supportive districts, and I mean what there's many teachers that you know can or can't say that they are truly supported, you know, by their district, by their administrators, by their coworkers, and I can honestly say that I am, I feel the love, I feel everybody.

Speaker 1: 14:16

So you know, thank you Truly, thank you Well thank you so much for coming on to the Husky.

Speaker 2: 14:22

Huddle, thank you for having me.

Speaker 1: 14:23

I really appreciate this and thank you so much. And everybody in the community you heard it here Please continue to support Andrea in this quest. Not only will she be recognized for the amazing work that she does here in the district, but also our school district could benefit from a visit from Bill Nye Correct yeah. That would be awesome too. Yeah, well, thank you so much for coming, and I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks you too.

Speaker 2: 14:49

Thank you, thank you.