Monroe County teacher earns Excellence In Education award
Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Lori Matthews with her Excellence in Education check.
A Monroe County educator who is known for inspiring curiosity, critical thinking, and a genuine love of learning in her students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Lori Matthews, is a science teacher at Summerfield Junior/Senior High School. The school is part of Summerfield 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.
Eligible 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.
Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Matthews will air this evening.
Matthews said helping her students realize their potential is what inspires her each day.
‘Amazing moment when student gets concept’
“There is an amazing moment when a student ‘gets’ a concept,” Matthews said. “In addition to that I want to help students become better people and move from high school into the world with an attitude that they can do hard things and they can succeed.
“I hold my students to high standards because I want them to work hard to get better than they were the day before. I love knowing that I get a chance to impact lives for the better every day and help them become strong, independent, and productive members of the world they live in.”
Matthews was nominated for the award by a colleague.
“In the relatively short time I have had the privilege of working with her, Lori Matthews has consistently demonstrated the qualities of an outstanding educator — one who not only teaches content but inspires curiosity, critical thinking, and a genuine love of learning in her students,” the colleague said.
“Lori holds her students to high academic standards while simultaneously recognizing and honoring the diverse learning needs present in her classroom.
