Our 12 News A+ Teacher of the week series continues with a Sonoran Sky Elementary School teacher who asks her students to take part in memorable science lessons.
Mrs. Rachael Wyatt works with students in and out of her Scottsdale classroom and gets to know kids on an extracurricular level as a Girl Scout Troop Leader.
Her colleague Jackie Kostas nominated her because she says she's a great teacher who cares and loves her students.
Kostas surprised Wyatt in her classroom to tell her she was being honored as 12 News's A+ teacher.
“I seriously am very speechless, which never happens, because my students will tell you that I talk all the time and I never stop talking, right?" Wyatt said.
Kostas's daughter is a member of the Girls Scout troop Wyatt leads.
“My daughter, she’s been part of the troop since she’s been in second grade," Kostas said.
She says Wyatt's a great role model.
Wyatt said she held back tears when she heard she was nominated.
“I was super emotional...Right now, I’m very humbled and excited," she said. "I'm at a loss for words.”
Wyatt says she loves being a teacher.
“This is the best job in the world, you couldn’t pay me more money to do something else," Wyatt said.
From the time she was 7 years old, she wanted to be a teacher. She credits her excellent role models.
“This is what I get out of it; I get excitement and smiles and laughter and hugs and high fives every day,” Wyatt said. “I hope they remember to be curious just in life. It really is a motto of mine to ask questions and pursue those answers, because knowledge is power.”
Congratulations Mrs. Wyatt!
If you know a teacher who deserves to be recognized as one of our 12 News A+ teachers, be sure to email us at connect@12news.com.