From service at sea to ABC's

Before her days were filled with second-grade lessons and the steady work of helping children grow, she served in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electrician. This Veterans Day, her path from military service to the classroom offers a fitting introduction to this week’s Teacher of the Week.

Amelia Gennings teaches second grade at Bobby Ray Memorial and is this week’s First National Bank of Middle Tennessee Teacher of the Week. She grew up in Paonia, Colorado, and joined the Navy after high school. After her service, she returned to school when all four of her children were attending school full time, earning a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Arizona Global Campus.

Gennings is in her first year teaching second grade and her second year as a classroom teacher. She taught first grade last year after spending two years as a teacher’s assistant. She also sponsors Bobby Ray’s Beta Club and assisted with the girls’ basketball team this past year.

For Gennings, one of the most rewarding parts of teaching is building relationships with students and helping them feel secure enough to learn and grow.

“I believe that if a student doesn't feel comfortable, safe, and cared for in the classroom, they won’t be as successful,” Gennings wrote. “I want my students to know that they are valued, loved, supported, and that I believe in them.”

Several teachers made a lasting impression on Gennings, but she said Jason Yantzer stands out. His influence, she said, extended beyond the classroom and continues to shape how she raises her children and teaches her students.

“His influence is a reminder of just how meaningful a teacher's impact can be, and I hope to make that same kind of lasting difference in the lives of my students,” she wrote.

The Teacher of the Week contest is presented by First National Bank of Middle Tennessee, with support from Smooth Rapids, Diamond Jewelry Company, Phillips Sales and Service and Graves Family Pharmacy. Weekly winners are removed from subsequent ballots and become eligible for the Teacher of the Year contest in the spring.

Vote for your favorite teacher here: