McBride receives Mabel Griffith teaching award

Tess Nelson
The Red Oak Express

Kerry McBride, an elementary teacher at Essex elementary, received the Mabel Griffith Excellence in Teaching Award Friday, Sept. 16. The annual award is named in honor of Mabel Griffith, a teacher in the former Coburg Consolidated School District who taught from 1921 to 1969. Members of the Coburg Historical Association established the award to pay tribute to Griffith, and to honor other elementary teachers for their commitment to students and their profession.
McBride has taught for 35 years, 18 of which have been at the Essex Community School District and currently teaches the Title 1 reading and math for kindergarten through fifth grade.
She said she first thought about becoming a teacher when she was in the first grade.
“Both of my grandmothers were teachers and I wanted to carry on that legacy. That desire just continued all through my school years. I love working with children and teaching them to be readers and problem-solvers,” said said.
She added she enjoys teaching because teaching children to read is the basis of everything else they will do in the future.
“I truly enjoy working with children and their families to make education fun and an important part of their lives,” McBride explained.
McBride said she was surprised and is very honored to have received the award.
“Though I do not expect a pat on the back for doing what I love, I appreciate that there are others who want to recognize the hard work of teachers,” McBride said. “I am humbled and honored to have been selected for this award. The teachers I have worked with in the past and present helped me be the teacher I am today, and they are all deserving of recognition.”