Title
Recognizing Minnesota Teacher of the Year Amy Hewett-Olatunde.
Body
WHEREAS, 2015 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Amy Hewett-Olatunde, teaches in Ward 4's Hamline Midway neighborhood at LEAP High School for immigrant students who are pursuing a high school diploma; and
WHEREAS, Amy started at LEAP during her student-teacher placement 16 years ago and never left; and
WHEREAS, her students have been Hmong, East African, and Somali initially, while currently most of her students are Karen, from the Thai/Burmese border; and
WHEREAS, as a writing and English teacher, Amy uses poetry to help students express themselves and tell their personal stories; and
WHEREAS, Amy is a very positive person who likes people and takes an interest in students' native cultures and individual experiences, working to balance students' academic needs with their emotional needs; and
WHEREAS, Amy has been known to join her graduates on their first day of college, and has generously paid for books so that they won't be afraid to go to college, and so they know she is still there to support them; and
WHEREAS, beyond her skill and ease in the classroom, Amy also takes a leadership role in the school and has recently received her doctorate in education from Hamline University; and
WHEREAS, there were 123 candidates for 2015 teacher of the year; and
WHEREAS, Amy Hewett-Olatunde was recently named the Teacher of the Year in Minnesota by Education Minnesota; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council thanks Amy Hewett-Olatunde for her contributions to LEAP, her students, and to the City of Saint Paul, and congratulates her for her well-deserved recognition.