13 ON YOUR SIDE recognizes 1st Teacher of the YEAR

Emily Scarlett anchoring/reporting
NORTON SHORES, Mich. - 13 ON YOUR SIDE has recognized dozens of educators over the last several months highlighting our Teachers of the Week. Now, as the school year comes to a close, for the first time we’re honoring a Teacher of the Year.
Roughly 900 students and staff filled the gym of Mona Shores Middle School. You can feel the excitement and anticipation. Students and staff know someone is being honored-just not who.
After an emotional introduction by principal Doug Ammeraal, he announced Gretchen Mineni as our first Teacher of the Year.
Her parents and daughters were there as just another part of the surprise.
“Um, very surprised. Just being acknowledged and told that you’re doing an amazing job is just as important as anything else,” said Mineni.
Principal Ammeraal said, “I think it validates all of the work and the time and energy, and headache and heartache and emotion that goes into education and Gretchen really exemplifies that. So, we’re proud of her. We’re proud of the opportunity that she has to be that first Teacher of the Year.”
Mineni was presented with a $1,000 prize thanks to Robinson Dental, which sponsors our Teacher of the Week segment.
The money which can be used however she wants. She says it is going right back to the students.
“We have a unified basketball program that we have, and this will be our first year that we’re doing it in middle school, and we don’t have uniforms yet. So, we will have uniforms now,” said Mineni, excitedly. “I’m an English teacher and so some more books for my classroom, as always. The kids know that I love to read and so I have a list of books that I would love to have purchased and so that will be one of the next things that I do with that.”
It’s one of the many reasons she was chosen for this honor: Her dedication to the needs of students beyond the classroom.
“Beyond that, I know that I’ll provide snacks for my classroom because I often have a cabinet of snacks for when kids need a little extra something in the day,” said Mineni. She added that she understands the financial burdens many families are facing. “I don’t want any family to ever not be able to do the things that they need to do to be successful in my classroom, and so, if it means providing those things, I will do everything that I can.”
This teacher wears multiple hats for Mona Shores Public Schools.
“I’m an English teacher for the most hours of my day. My last hour of the day is my peer-to-peer class which I have my general education students and we partner with my inclusive class,” said Mineni. “Besides that, I run our month of caring and this year our month of caring, we supported several different causes.”
They raised nearly $3,000 to support youth in sports and donated more than 700 personal care items to a foster and adoption agency.
“Besides that, I coach volleyball, I ref, I coach softball for the high school. I did our boys middle school volleyball program. We had it for the first time this year and it was amazing,” said Mineni. She laughed as she said, “And then I also did our unified basketball team. I think that’s kind of it. Maybe there’s a few more, I don’t know.”
“Gretchen has not only made an impact in her classroom with her direct students but she’s impacting our building and our community in a variety of ways,” said Ammeraal.
“It could’ve been anyone or it could be a lot of us,” said Mineni. “Very honored that it was chosen to be me. Again, I love what I do. I love these kids. I love every day that I come to work, even when it’s tough.”
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