Leigh Anne Eck, a sixth-grade teacher from George Rogers Clark Middle School in Vincennes, earned the 2022-23 Indiana Rural Teacher of the Year Award, presented by Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association and Indiana Farm Bureau.
The Indiana Rural Teacher of the Year Award is given to a current teacher who collaborates with the rural community to provide lifelong learning opportunities, leads in the educational community, and leaves a lasting impact on their students.
Eck, who was nominated by her building principal and fellow teachers, got her start in teaching later in life after being a stay-at-home mom and helping in her children's classrooms.
"Teaching was never something I set out to do, but it became something I truly love," Eck said. "I started helping in the first-grade classroom where kids came in as five-year-olds and left as readers. And for me, that was magic. So, I decided to go back to school to become a teacher."
Now, 15 years into her profession in education, she is teaching middle school English language arts and reading, where her passion truly lies.
"I always enjoyed reading and writing," Eck said. "When I had the opportunity to share that passion, I knew that's what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. So, I will be adding some new titles to my classroom library with my prize money."
INFB is a sponsor of the Indiana Rural Teacher of the Year Award and provides a $1,000 prize to the recipient.
Categories: Indiana, Education