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• February Teachers First: Lowell Miller Play Video

  February 25, 2013 3:06 PM

  Lincoln School of Science and Technology in Canon City is one of a small number of schools in the area equipped with state of the art, interactive white boards and tablets for students. That is thanks in part to fifth grade teacher Lowell Miller, February's Teacher's First award winner. ... more »

• January Teachers First: Janie Mueller

  January 30, 2013 5:32 PM

  If you're into science at Cheyenne Mountain High School, chances are you know AP Chemistry teacher Janie Mueller. After 31 years, she's just as passionate about her job as ever. And that's why she's January's Teachers First award winner. When you enter Mueller's chemistry classes, you can tell there's... more »

• English teacher goes to great lengths to connect with students Play Video

  November 29, 2012 6:01 PM

  FLORENCE, COLORADO - Florence High School's Cathy Wasmuth was a stay-at-home mom for years before she ever thought of becoming a teacher. It was only after her children were grown that she decided to go back to school. "I was terrified," the English and Creative Writing teacher recalled. "I... more »

• Kindergarten teacher uses songs to take on difficult subjects Play Video

  May 22, 2012 7:06 PM

  In Christina Watson's classroom at Audubon Elementary, you'll meet some of the brainiest kids in the city. Thanks to a couple of catchy jingles she wrote, the five and six year olds know the difference between their frontal, parietal and occipital lobes and the various fucntion they control. Watson... more »

• Fourth grade teacher keeps students interested and excited about learning

  May 2, 2012 7:23 PM

  Fourth grade teacher Amy McLay is always hatching new ideas on how to keep her students at District 20's Mountain View Elementary. "I'll have kids get up in the middle of lesson and we'll do jumping jacks and then they're back with me or I'll stand on chairs or... more »

• Teacher draws on personal adversity to help students succeed Play Video

  January 26, 2012 7:11 PM

  Melanie Austin couldn't be happier to be in the classroom. Working with special education students has literally been her life's ambition. "When I was 10 years old, I was going to school in Jefferson County and I was at one school and across the way was a special... more »

• Pueblo teacher prefers classroom to boardroom Play Video

  November 30, 2011 6:08 PM

  Not all teachers start their careers in the classroom, and often that outside experience can prove invaluable. Linda Kliesen has taught third grade at Sunset Park Elementary in Pueblo for 11 years but began her career as an operation manager for Montgomery Ward. In fact, she says her... more »

• Teacher stays sharp by connecting with peers

  September 29, 2011 4:35 PM

  Early in the school year, third grade teacher Jene Herrera noticed something about her students at Highland Park Elementary, a Pueblo City School. "They can read very well, but they can't always tell me about what they've read," Herrera said. So this morning, her reading lesson involves a... more »

• 5th grade teacher motivated by his struggles as a student

  June 1, 2011 4:50 PM

  You'll notice two things when you walk in to Justin Shue's 5th grade class at Goodnight Elementary in the Pueblo City School District. First, his kids don't stay seated for very long. "Students when the come to school they want to move and they want to talk," Shue explains.... more »

• History teacher strives for lessons with impact

  April 13, 2011 6:40 PM

  The students in Heidi Rickard's 10th grade world history class at Pine Creek High School have been studying genocide. Today's lesson involves rice, each grain represents a person. A couple of tablespoons equals the the size of the school population, a cup is 10,000. The holocaust measures 240 pounds... more »

• Pine Creek teacher is our April award winner

  April 13, 2011 12:43 PM

  Congratulations to Pine Creek High School history teacher Heidi Rickard for being selected as the winner of our April Teachers First Award. Heidi has taught history and social science classes at the school for the last 10 years. Additionally, principal Jill Martin tells New First 5 that Heidi extends... more »

• Science teacher engages students through hands-on learning

  March 16, 2011 6:46 PM

  You would expect to see people doing "the wave" at a football game, but in science class? Well, if you're at Sabin Middle School and the teacher is Chris Smith, you bet. "Science is definitely more hands on," Smith says. "I feel like it's easier to get them doing... more »

• Fourth grade teacher channels excitement into learning

  February 23, 2011 2:32 PM

  Holly Corsentino makes sure her students start each day with a handshake and a smile. The 4th grade teacher at Beulah Heights Elementary in Pueblo recognizes that kids naturally get excited about things, and tries to channel that into excitement into learning. "Anybody that's had the good fortune of... more »

• PE teacher gives lessons on living healthy

  January 18, 2011 3:53 PM

  Many of our lifestyle habits take shape while we're still young. Pine Creek High School physical education teacher Shelley Lockwood wants to make sure the habits her student develop are healthy ones. Growing up with four brothers, Lockwood has had a passion for sports since her early years. Today... more »

• Kindergarten teacher enjoys starting students off right

  October 27, 2010 1:27 PM

  Holly Ciresi feels right at home in a kindergarten classroom. The Penrose Elementary teacher is in her 42nd year teaching, all of it in early childhood education. "Kindergarten is a very special place to be," Ciresi says. "I think one of my most important goals is to instill the... more »

• Teachers First honors Ivana Seligova

  June 17, 2010 5:27 PM

  Math is a subject many of us tried to avoid in school, but some Mitchell High School students that once hated the subject now say they love it. They say it's because of their teacher. Math can get complicated quickly, and for many students it can feel like no... more »

• Teachers First honors Holly Lustig

  May 25, 2010 7:58 PM

  Holly Lustig's job as a severe special needs teacher at Springs Ranch Elementary requires that she do more than a typical teacher's share of work. Along with preparing daily lessons, Lustig also coordinates each of her student's therapies and for some of them, their meals too. "It's pretty... more »

• Lesson in school work and life

  April 14, 2010 5:14 PM

  For most children, kindergarten is the beginning of a lifetime of learning and at Edith Wolford Elementary in Black Forest, teacher Kelly Morgan knows how to get her young ones started off right. "For me it starts even before they walk in the door," Morgan said. She takes... more »

• Teacher taps creativity to unlock learning

  March 18, 2010 7:08 PM

  To get John Trivisonno's second grade classroom at Desert Sage Elementary in Pueblo West, you have to walk through a large cardboard and paper castle, complete with plush dragons. It's an early signal that learning here is supposed to be fun. "School really should be more of an adventure,"... more »

• Teacher strums passion for music into students hearts

  February 17, 2010 7:16 PM

  Ron Ellis says teaching music is a bit like cooking. You can have all the right ingredients but until everthing comes together, you're never sure of what you're gonna get. "We have a concert next week with the bands and I kept thinking are we going to come together,... more »

• Pueblo teacher finds success in building student's self-confidence

  January 27, 2010 6:51 PM

  Megan Betts is a familiar face in every classroom at Pueblo's Haaff Elementary. As an Exceptional Student Services (ESS) teacher, its her job to help kids who are struggling in class. Betts says she loves being able to work with every child in the school. Her biggest challenge is... more »

• Enthusiasm contagious at Martinez 3rd grade class

  October 21, 2009 2:55 PM

  When you're doing something you love, it shows. At Martinez Elementary in Colorado Springs, third grade teacher Crystal Lannin's passion for teaching comes through in the excitement she brings to class everyday. "They're just so fun," Lannin says of her students. "I love how we can do silly, goofy... more »