March 23rd, 2021 by WCBC Radio
On Monday, the Board of Education of Allegany County hosted the 33rd Annual Teacher of the Year Celebration. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s award celebration was held virtually. Seven ACPS educators were honored for their dedication and commitment to student success. Nicholas Amick of Allegany High School was selected as the 2021-2022 Allegany County Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Jeff Blank, Superintendent of Schools, and Mrs. Crystal Bender, President of the Board of Education, offered pre-recorded remarks. Mrs. Stacey Bradley, last year’s Teacher of the Year, also gave a pre-recorded address during the program.
Nicholas Amick is an educator focused on creating leaders for tomorrow’s world. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Frostburg State University in 2015, where he received Departmental Honors in Education; he is currently completing his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. He teaches at Allegany High School, his alma mater, and serves as advisor of the Student Government where he implemented a renewed focus on community volunteerism. Nicholas is also the JV Mock Trial coach. Recently, he collaborated with county educators to create a new English Language Arts curriculum and served as a building technology leader, assisting with the transition to online learning.
“As a teacher, I pride myself in ensuring that all students, no matter their learning abilities, preferences, or needs, have the chance to experience success in my classroom,” said Amick.
Six other Allegany County Teacher of the Year finalists were recognized during the virtual celebration. These educators are as follows: Sarah Cessna, George’s Creek Elementary School; Carley McGann, Beall Elementary School; Brittany McMahon, Westernport Elementary School; Celeste Middle, South Penn Elementary School; Amanda Nash, Braddock Middle School; and Tracy Robinette, John Humbird Elementary School.
The sponsors of the 33rd Annual Teacher of the Year Banquet included Allegany College of Maryland, Allegany County Board of Education, Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, Allegany County Board of Commissioners, Allegany County Public Schools, Allegany County Education Association, ACT 1st FCU, Frostburg State University, and the Sandhir Foundation.
Each year a selection committee is formed to choose the winner of this prestigious award. This year’s selection committee was comprised of Mrs. Tania Pressman, 2016-2017 Teacher of the Year; Mrs. Breann D’Atri, Realtor and ACPS Coordinator of Workforce Development and Apprenticeships; and Mrs. Jennifer Howell, HR Manager for Cintas.
Special thanks should be extended to the members of the planning committee for their efforts in organizing this year’s virtual celebration, especially Jennifer Ramsey, who is the event coordinator. Other members included Heather Morgan, Jason Huber, who also served as the Master of Ceremonies, Jackie Enright, and Mia Cross.
Representatives from Frostburg State University, the Allegany County Education Association, Allegany College of Maryland, and the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce were all featured in pre-recorded presentations to this year’s winner. Oscar’s Restaurant and Bill Boyer’s Chick-Fil-A in LaVale provided food and gift card donations to both the winner and the finalists. Event programs were printed courtesy of the Career Center’s printing department. The live stream of the virtual awards ceremony was produced by Ryan Brenneman of Allegany Media.
Nicholas Amick will now join other local Teachers of the Year as a candidate for the Maryland Teacher of the Year. These individuals will be honored at a meeting of the State Board of Education, and five state semifinalists will be invited to a reception in the fall for the announcement of the Maryland Teacher of the Year.
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