Unsung Heroes: Why this Shanksville-Stonycreek Elementary teacher was honored by the Fred Rogers Institute
Unsung Heroes is an occasional series celebrating Somerset County area changemakers who receive little recognition.
SHANKSVILLE ― Rebecca Hutzell said she’s learned from the "best people" – the Shanksville community and its school district – what being a helper really means.
The Meyersdale resident and Shanksville-Stonycreek Elementary School teacher was honored at a school assembly on Nov. 14 as one of the 14 recipients of the 2023 Fred Rogers Institute Helper Awards. The awards program was created this year by the Fred Rogers Institute at St. Vincent College to celebrate its 20th anniversary by honoring “helpers,” people in various professional positions who “care for children and communities in ordinary and extraordinary ways,” according to its website.
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Hutzell has taught at the Shanksville-Stonycreek Elementary School for nearly 32 years, most of that time as an elementary learning support teacher. From her first year of teaching at the school to the present, the Shanksville community has supported her and “made me want to be better every day,” she said.
Accepting the award from Annie White, director of research and evaluation at the Fred Rogers Institute, Hutzell told the group of children attending the assembly that their school and community are special. Hutzell’s parents, Britta and Carl Mitchell, of Meyersdale, and her husband, Rodger Hutzell, a teacher in the Somerset Area School District, also attended the assembly.
“Shanksville is like the best neighborhood, ever,” she said. “Our school, our families, our community is just the best neighborhood and I love working here. We’re really special here, I think.
“I think this (award) belongs to the Shanksville neighborhood, not just me.”
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Students are her first priority
White said the Institute was impressed with the application nominating Hutzell and describing her dedication to her students and their families.
“From the little bit we learned about her, we’ve been so touched and honored to be here and celebrate her,” she said.
“We learned from the nomination application how she persevered through difficult times. All throughout her career, she has put so much dedication and hard work into taking care of them (her students) as her first priority.”
Hutzell, the school district and the community have supported each other through some very difficult times over the years, including the crash of Flight 93 that happened nearby on Sept. 11, 2001; the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when students and teachers had to abruptly switch to remote learning; and a health issue that Hutzell has been dealing with personally during the past three years as well.
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“The community has been so supportive and wonderful,” Hutzell said. “Everyone goes above and beyond. We’re a small school, so people wear a lot of different hats – and they’re the kind of people that make a person happy to come to work.
“I love this place. The community is so supportive, wonderful students, supportive families, great coworkers. Through the years, there’s always been a core of teachers and administrators who are forward-thinking and just want everything to be positive for the kids, and just keep getting better.
“I wouldn’t say I’m the best example of what Shanksville has to offer by any stretch; I would say that I have learned from the best, and those people have made me want to be better every day.”
If you would like to nominate an unsung hero, please email names and information to news@dailyamerican.com.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Unsung Heroes: Somerset County PA teacher named a 2023 Fred Rogers Institute Helper Award
