Buckeye teacher Jody Keith named 2022 teacher of excellence

MEDINA — The Educational Service Center of Medina County presented Buckeye Local Schools eighth grade language arts teacher Jody Keith with the 2022 Teacher of Excellence award. Superintendent of ESMC Robert Hlasko gave Keith the award during the Buckeye Local Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday night. Hlasko said Keith was chosen for her helpfulness, welcoming attitude and her mindset of growth. "There's teaching and then there's teaching kids and growing kids and making them better people," Hlasko said. "You're everything that's right about education." Keith said she felt honored and appreciative to receive the award. "I feel like it is truly my privilege to have to have the opportunity to come to school every day, and work in this district," she said. "I feel blessed to have spent my entire career here at Buckeye. It truly is a special place." Keith was joined by her students to spread awareness for the program she started called the "Confetti Project" during the school board meeting. Students read inspirational books that cover topics such as faith, finance, communication, anxiety and more. After reading the book, students reach out to an adult to have a conversation about the book and possibly develop a relationship with someone they have never spoken to before. "The confetti project really has two goals. No. 1, to inspire kids to be better and No. 2, to allow kids the opportunity to create relationships," Keith said. "So we're inspiring kids to be better by putting inspirational books in their hands." The Buckeye Education Foundation provided some funding to purchase books for the next couple of years. The future goals for the project involve including more staff members in the project and expanding the program outside of the district to senior living homes. Another similar possible program involves seventh and eighth graders conversing with each other about the book they read. Keith said this program has done so much for her personally. It reminded her of why she got into education in the first place because she loves building relationships with kids. She said it also made her remember how great the staff and students at Buckeye are. "I've had the opportunity to meet one on one with all of my students about this project. They've offered criticism. They've offered insights," Keith said. "I am just blown away by the depth of knowledge, the depth of the depth of compassion (and) the creativity that these students have." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.