Woodsdale Elementary School teacher Jaime Young is a finalist for 2024 West Virginia Teacher of the Year, the West Virginia Department of Education has announced.
Young is a first grade teacher at Woodsdale Elementary School, and she was named in April as the 2023-2024 Ohio County Schools Teacher of the Year. Young follows advice given to her early in her career to love students first, build the classroom family and then the learning will always follow. This has led to her classroom being an exciting and engaging learning environment.
Young is an advisor to her school’s Student Council Program which organizes and completes service projects for the school and community. She also serves on the school-wide Positive Behavior Support Team and as the reading tutor program facilitator. It is Young’s hope that her positive classroom energy will inspire her students to become educators as well.
Ohio County Schools Superintendent Kimberly Miller said she is thrilled that Young has been named as a finalist for West Virginia Teacher of the Year. Miller, who formerly served as principal at Woodsdale, said it was a pleasure working with Young. She believes Young is one of the finest teachers she’s known.
“Jaime Young is a dynamic educator,” Miller said. “She is dedicated to her students and her craft. I couldn’t be more be proud of the work she does every day, and she is so deserving of this recognition.”
Young is entering her 15th year as a teacher at Woodsdale Elementary School. She said she always wanted to teach young students for very specific reasons.
“I think early education is amazing,” Young said. “They are so excited to learn, and it is my job to make learning exciting and fun. I want school to be a place where they want to be. It sets the tone for their future in education.”
Young loves teaching, and she loves Woodsdale Elementary School. She said she couldn’t imagine teaching at another school. Young is actively involved in student council because she likes to see how her former students have grown since they were in her first-grade classroom.
“The students, teachers and parents at Woodsdale are amazing,” she said. “Everyone is so supportive. They understand the students and their specific needs.”
Young earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Reading from West Liberty University. Young is a 2002 graduate of Wheeling Park High School. Her husband, Ryan, is a teacher at Wheeling Park High School, and he is also the Patriot girls basketball coach. Their daughters, Leah and Maggie, will be students at Triadelphia Middle School for the 2023-2024 school year.
#TogetherWeAchieve
#WVEd