This week’s Golden Apple Award winner is...

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - This week’s Golden Apple Award winner is Tonya Alford.

“I was very surprised. I’m honored. I’ve been teaching a long time and this is amazing,” said Mrs. Alford.

Celebrating 30 years of teaching, Mrs. Alford said she still loves getting to teach her Alford Allstars.

She said, “I especially love kindergarten because every day is a new day. It’s always fun and never boring.”

Mrs. Alford said she enjoys reading to her students.

She said, “You’ve got to have that mix of both fun and academics in kindergarten.”

Nominated for the award by a former kindergarten student, who is getting ready to graduate high school, Mrs. Alford leaves a positive impact on her students and co-workers as well.

Mrs. Alford’s teaching para, Kelly Anderson, said, “She just makes kids love to read, she makes them just love to be at school, and she makes me love to be at school as well. So, that is one reason my daughter nominated her. It sparked her interest in books and now she wants to go to school for animation. I owe a lot to Mrs. Alford, so thank you.”

Not only do Mrs. Alford’s current students think she deserves the award because “she is the best teacher ever,” but also because she “makes us smart.”

The rest of the classroom agreed and congratulated Mrs. Alford on her award.

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