Every month, one teacher from each academy at The Academies at Jonesboro High School is selected by students to be the teacher of the month. The December teachers of the month were all very excited to receive this honor.

“It is very humbling,” said Mr. Austin Copenhaver, the career coach in the BCAL Academy. “I would have been honored just to be considered.”

Mr. Copenhaver is a co-sponsor for the Don’t Suffer Alone club, and helps students at JHS prepare for their life after high school.

For some teachers, it shows how appreciative their students are of them.

“It feels great to be chosen because it shows that my students appreciate all of the effort and time I spend helping them learn,” said Mrs. Jennifer Smith, the teacher of Spanish 1 and 2.

Mrs. Smith has taught at JHS for 23 years, and loves to see the diversity of the students and how they grow throughout the school year.

Some teachers love JHS because it is their home.

“It feels good and an honor to be chosen. I graduated from here in 1995, said Mr. Kevin. Liles, who teaches co-geometry, co-biology and resource social studies. “It’s home.”

JHS is a very special place and the teachers love the work they do to help students be on the right track.

“Our school structure is designed to help students formulate a career path and find something they are passionate about. It brings me a lot of joy to see that,” Copenhaver said.