LANSING, Mich.– An Oakland County educator known for finding new and innovative ways to encourage students to develop their math skills and helping to develop advanced math courses for her school has been honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery.
The award winner, Trisha Wellock, teaches sixth-grade math and science at Novi Meadows Elementary School, which is part of the Novi Community School district.
The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence in Education award program in 2014 to recognize outstanding public school educators across the state during the school year.
Winners of the weekly award receive a plaque, a $500 cash prize, and a $500 grant to their classroom, school or school district. One of the weekly winners will be selected as the Educator of the Year and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.
Wellock said her favorite parts of being an educator are “forming relationships with my students in the classroom and watching them enjoy learning and succeeding in the classroom. And it’s also great to have students come back and visit or send an email just because they miss you.”
She said her students motivate her to do her best each day. “It’s very rewarding when I hear my students say things such as: ‘I hated math and now math is now my favorite subject.’ ‘I want to be a teacher when I get older.’ Or my favorite: ‘You are like my second mom.’”
Wellock said she knew she wanted to be a teacher from an early age. “When my younger sisters and I would ‘play school,’ I would always be the teacher.” She added that desire was reinforced by her former teachers and the experience of coaching soccer in her community. Wellock was named the 2011 Michigan Competitive Soccer Coach of the Year by the Michigan State Youth Soccer Association.
A colleague nominated Wellock for the Excellence in Education award and described her as “one of the most involved teachers in our district.”
