{"id":3636,"date":"2013-06-28T17:39:49","date_gmt":"2013-06-28T21:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/sites\/magazine\/?p=3636"},"modified":"2016-02-02T12:08:32","modified_gmt":"2016-02-02T17:08:32","slug":"top-teacher","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/2013\/06\/28\/top-teacher\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Teacher"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When Jemelleh Coes (\u201808, \u201810) began her first year as an undergraduate at Georgia Southern University, she originally planned to pursue a career in nursing. \u201cMy maiden name was Nurse, and I always wanted to helped others,\u201d she said. \u201cI really thought I would be Nurse Nurse.\u201d<\/p>\n

Until she thought about the occupational hazards. \u201cAfter I realized that nurses had to deal with a lot of blood, I changed my major,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n

Coes instead opted for another career: teaching. Today, her focus remains on helping others as a special education English language arts and reading teacher at Langston Chapel Middle School in Statesboro, Ga. Although Coes is a relative newcomer to the teaching profession, having entered the field just five years ago, she was named Bulloch County Teacher of the Year last year, and last month was recognized as the state of Georgia\u2019s 2014 Teacher of the Year.<\/p>\n

Coes\u2019 expertise in co-teaching techniques led to her selection as Georgia\u2019s top teacher, and its\u2019 positive impact on students has become a model for learning at Langston Chapel. \u201cCo-teaching is an amazing way to include students with disabilities in the classroom,\u201d said Coes. \u201cOnce I got into the field of special education, I discovered that every student could learn. I just needed to find out what their unique gifts were and tap into those gifts to help them learn,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Coes teaching accomplishments also include her participation in the Delta Academy program, where she has volunteered her time two Saturdays each month since 2008. At Delta Academy, Coes mentors a group of 30 middle school girls by encouraging their interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). \u201cWhat makes this program so interesting is that I teach them about science in unconventional ways. For example, we create key chains and purses, and I teach them the science behind making those items,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

“Jemelleh is so good at what she does because she has taken her passion for life and helped other people succeed. She represents what it takes to teach students who are struggling and to help them become successful,\u201d said Charles Wilson, Bulloch County school superintendent.<\/p>\n

Coes is also the site coordinator for the 21st Century Community Learning Center at Langston Chapel, an after-school program that serves 100 of the school\u2019s most at-risk students. \u201cThis enrichment program provides students with hands-on activities such as experiments in math and language arts,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Coes has found that teaching has been an especially rewarding career. \u201cThe most important thing is your students, and as educators, we need to adapt to them. Educators need to reflect on what we can improve upon every day. I always tell my students: you have a choice. Your choices have consequences and rewards. And, I always tell them that failure is not an option.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the next year, Coes will leave the classroom and travel around the state and nation, serving as an ambassador for education. \u201cIt means a lot to me to be named Teacher of the Year, and I feel that I can be the voice for south Georgia,\u201d she said. Coes\u00a0will represent Georgia teachers by speaking to the public about the teaching profession and conducting programs and workshops for fellow educators. \u201cThe message I will be communicating is community, students and engagement,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n