Lester named January Teacher of the Month

Joey Lester was named the Crestview News Bulletin's January 2012 Teacher of the Month. She is in her 12th year of teaching at Crestview High School.

"I am so thrilled with this," Lester said as Ella Shaw, academics coordinator for CHS, entered her classroom with a bouquet of flowers. "This is a great surprise and I am honored."

Lester is a CHS graduate and began her teaching career by substitute teaching for Shaw 13 years ago. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of West Florida in English education. She teaches English Honors II, Advanced Placement Language and Advanced Placement Composition.

"My entire career has been spent teaching here at Crestview High and some of my fellow teachers now were my teachers in high school," she said. "The staff here is like a close family."

Lester said that her favorite thing about teaching is interacting with students as she introduces them to new concepts and ideas in the classroom.

"Last year we started a grammar component on the computer for about 25 students in each class. I am in the second year of my AP (Advanced Placement) teaching," she said. "Some love it and some do not."

Lester said she is happy to see students who enjoy learning and she looks for ways to make her classroom lessons creative.

"I don't want to just be a voice behind the lectern," she said. "I can remember hating calculus in school because I did not enjoy it as much as I did English, so I never want a student to dread my classes."

In November 2011 Lester was named Teacher of the Year for Crestview High School and will attend the Okaloosa County banquet in February for the announcement of the Teacher of the Year for the 2011-12 school year.

Bob Jones, principal at Crestview High School, said that he has known Lester since her high school days.

"I am happy for Joey and thrilled that she is our Teacher of the Year and the Teacher of the Month for the Bulletin," Jones said. "She is a lifelong Crestview resident and a graduate of Crestview High. I am very proud of her. She is very deserving of this honor and highly respected by her students and her peers."

She was also part of the number one Literacy Team of the Year for CHS. The team works together to improve students' reading scores and improve reading in all areas.

Lester confessed that grading papers is the least favorite part of her job but a necessary part to measure her students' comprehension levels. Lester also taught drama at CHS for several years.

"I enjoyed drama but English is my area of expertise and it is what I enjoy teaching," she said.

Lester was born in West Virginia and lived in Ohio until she was 12 years old and her parents moved to Crestview.

"I love to travel our country and hope to travel back to the Ohio area this summer," she said.

Lester enjoys playing the piano at Shepherd's Church in Baker and her spending time with her dog, Abbey, a Shih-Tzu.