Merced teacher wins national ‘Teacher of the Year’ contest, earns $10,000 grant for school
A parental nomination and a push by teachers on social media led to Merced County teacher Sou Lee being recognized as a Rack Room Shoes Teacher of the Year.
Lee is a sixth grade teacher at John Muir Elementary School in Merced.
Just before the holiday break, Lee was presented with a $10,000 technology grant for the school and a $500 gift card from Rack Room Shoes.
“I’m overwhelmed and speechless, Lee said. “My students inspire me every day and this is all for them.”
Rack Room Shoes launched a national campaign at the beginning of the year for customers to nominate teacher who have made a positive impact in their lives and the lives of their children.
When parent Ana Yanez saw an e-mail asking for nominations she quickly thought of Lee.
“I knew exactly who I wanted to nominate,” Yanez said. “Mr. Lee has inspired my fifth grader to excel. He goes above and beyond for his students and I have seen his influence on my child. He is motivated and interested in school like never before. Because of Mr. Lee, he has found a new love for science and he hopes to become an engineer someday. Mr. Lee will forever live in my son’s life for his love of teaching and compassion.”
Lee was one of five teachers who won by receiving the most votes out of 399 nominations.
His fellow teachers at John Muir and the Merced City School District rallied behind him and put out a call to the community via social media to vote during the online voting period.
Lee finished with the second most votes in the contest and he’s the first teacher from California to win.
“Mr. Lee is an amazing teacher who inspires his students to excel,” said John Muir principal Michelle Colburn. “His belief in his students encourages them to believe in themselves and that goes a long way for their success.”
Colburn says the grant will be put to good use.
“Because of this grant, we will be able to purchase much-needed devices to provide computer-assisted learning activities that will increase academic achievement and a more immersive learning experience,” she said.
Lee says his background and upbringing steered him into teaching.
His grandparents were refugees from Laos and didn’t speak any English when they came to the United States. That made adjusting to life in this country difficult so education was stressed upon him at an early age.
“I go to work every day hoping to inspire my students to work hard and pursue their dreams,” Lee said. “I want my students to realize how important education is and how it can change their lives. It changed my life.”
Lee says as a teacher it’s rewarding to see students achieve academic success.
“I especially enjoy that ‘ah ha’ moment when the light bulb goes off,” he said. “It takes a lot of work and patience to get to the ‘ah ha’ moment, but it is worth the time and effort.
“I learn from the students every day,” Lee added. “It amazes me how my students think. I enjoy listening to how they approach math problems in different ways. They continue to amaze me every day,”
Rack Room Shoes is headquartered in Charlotte. Rack Room Shoes operates more than 500 locations nationwide under the Rack Room Shoes and Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse brands.
