DeVaney educator is VCSC 2015 Teacher of the Year

Carol Sumner, a kindergarten teacher at DeVaney Elementary, is the Vigo County School Corp. 2015 Teacher of the Year.

Selection of the Teacher of the Year is a joint effort between the school district and the Vigo County Teachers Association.

Sumner “is a dedicated, innovative teacher that truly has the interest of all children at heart. She consistently and continually goes above and beyond what is expected of a teacher, especially in this time of educational reform. Her classroom is exciting and a trusted learning environment for children,” according to a district news release.

Sumner earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a kindergarten endorsement from Indiana State University.

Professionally, she was a recipient of the Vigo County Education Foundation grant and was the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year; she received the Excellence in Education award in 1996 and 2009; and Office Max recognized her with A Day Made Better By a Teacher Award.

“She is an inspiration to her peers and works very closely with her team as they collaborate daily,” according to the news release.

According to Sumner, “Being an educator is the most enjoyable and rewarding job possible. I get to spend my day with 5- and 6-year-olds and share in their excitement of learning. Since I am the first experience that many of my students will have in a school setting, it is my number one goal to make it the most memorable. I want to instill a love for learning and an enthusiasm for school in each one of my students. I encourage them to work hard and to believe in themselves. I want every child to feel like a part of our family and that they are important.”