Utah Teachers Crystal Spackman and Randy Olsen Win the Golden Apple Award

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SOURCE: Christensen & Hymas

Christensen & Hymas Gives $100 Gift Card for Classroom Supplies

(PRWEB) September 27, 2012

The School Supplies Gift Program, sponsored by Utah-based Christensen & Hymas, is pleased to announce that Mrs. Crystal Spackman, an 11th & 12th grade teacher at Murray High School, and Mr. Randy Olsen, an 11th grade teacher at Jordan High School, are the next recipients of the Golden Apple Award.

Mrs. Spackman has been teaching at Murray High School for the past twenty-three years. Mrs. Spackman’s nominator said that “throughout those twenty-three years, there has been a decline in supply/book budgets and teacher pay. Yet, teachers still need supplies in order to help students succeed.” In order to help students succeed, and to fulfill their Language Arts Curriculum, Mrs. Spackman has implemented a new method for reading comprehension that includes lots and lots of post-it notes!

Reading comprehension is aided by taking notes within the book. The post-it notes have been implemented because the books students read from are school property and thus are reused and cannot be written in. Until funds are increased and new books are bought, post-it notes will have to do. This comes at a huge personal expense to Mrs. Spackman. She is to be commended for her dedication to her students and the personal sacrifices she endures on their behalf.

Mr. Olsen has just moved to Jordan High School after seven years at Crescent View Middle School. Before that he had been a school administrator until the year 2000, at which point he left education for the corporate world. After five years of corporate life, his desire to teach was strong, so he returned. He said, “The most rewarding experience I have had is actually returning to the classroom…Every day I am teaching is the most rewarding thing I could be doing. I love the daily interaction with my students and the opportunity it gives me to challenge them to think, and grow, and become better.” His love for students and teaching is clear.

Mr. Olsen explained that class size is a challenge associated with teaching. He says, “The biggest challenge to teaching, particularly English, is being able to interact and support 40 plus students in a class. I strive to make my classroom interactive and to keep the energy level high to engage all of them in the processes of reading, writing, speaking and thinking.” We at Christensen & Hymas applaud Mr. Olsen for his continued devotion and passion to teaching.

About the School Supplies Gift Program:

Utah personal injury attorneys Ken Christensen and Russ Hymas, owners of Christensen & Hymas, started the School Supplies Gift Program to help public school teachers get extra classroom supplies without having to spend their own money. Each week the program gives the Golden Apple Award, which includes a $100 OfficeMax gift card, to a deserving Utah public school teacher and his/her class. Anyone can nominate a teacher for this program, including teachers, students, parents and administrators. To learn more about the program and nominate a teacher, click here.

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