Ann Arbor educator earns Michigan Lottery’s Excellence in Education award
Sean Sabo, an educator at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, earned the Michigan Lottery’s weekly honor.
A Washtenaw County educator who is known for developing students’ writing and critical thinking skills has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Sean Sabo, is an advanced placement English and acting teacher at Pioneer High School. The school is part of Ann Arbor Public Schools.
The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.
In the running for $10,000 prize
Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.
“Mr. Sabo’s dedication as an educator for nearly 30 years is invaluable to Pioneer High School,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli.
“His ability to bring literature to life and teach acting by transforming real stories and experiences into productions has made him a beloved teacher.”
Sabo said his love of reading and writing attracted him to a career in education.
Shares love for books and writing with students
“I’ve always loved stories whether books, plays, or movies; I’ve also always loved engaging people in discussions of ‘big’ topics, which I would do regularly as a teen and young adult.
“I started out wanting to be a professor but stopped at a master’s degree when I discovered how focused the field was on theory rather than teaching. I got certified to teach with the hope of sharing my love for books and writing with students.”
Sabo was nominated for the award by the parent of a student.
“Sean Sabo has been an incredibly successful teacher for more than two decades, focusing on developing students writing and critical thinking skills. He built his classes around books, speeches, poems, and essays that he chose himself, making sure to expose students to a wide range of voices and styles. Sean’s students, including my son, particularly appreciated the extensive feedback that he provided to them.
