Lake Carolina Elementary School teacher wins Rookie Teacher of the Block
May 17, 2021
“Within minutes of her first class, it was clear that I had hired a master teacher.” These are the words of Lake Carolina Elementary School – Upper Campus principal Jeff Williams talking about first-year teacher Faith Stewart. “Her infectious energy and ability to engage her students at their level resulted in a classroom environment unlike any I have ever seen,” said Williams.
Williams nominated Stewart and she was selected as the April 2021 Rookie Teacher of the Block (RTOB). Stewart, a third grade teacher at Lake Carolina Elementary, says she was totally shocked by the award. “This school year has certainly been a rollercoaster of uncertainty. As a new teacher, I had no idea of some of the challenges I’d face and teaching during a pandemic sure wasn’t one that I had in mind. However, with such a strong support system, it helped to make my teaching experience worthwhile,” Stewart said
Stewart is following in her mother, Tia Jones’ footsteps. Jones was also a teacher in Richland Two before becoming an assistant principal at Catawba Trail Elementary School. She says, “As a mother, watching my child passionately fulfill her dream of teaching brings joy to my heart. It truly takes a village to raise a child and I’m grateful that Richland Two was a part of Faith’s village that afforded her many opportunities to pursue her purpose.”
Ironically, Williams, her current supervisor, was Stewart’s assistant principal while she was a student at Rice Creek Elementary. Stewart continued her educational journey in Richland Two by attending Blythewood Middle and graduating from Richland Northeast High School. She pursued higher education at Winthrop University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.
RTOB winners receive a plaque to hang outside their door, a nameplate for the door, discounted tax preparation from H&R Block, a unique trophy designed by the 3D printing class at the Richland Two Institute of Innovation (R2i2) Student Innovation Center, and a bag of Richland Two goodies from Human Resources. Each month a RTOB is chosen and then an overall winner, Rookie Teacher of the Year, is selected.
