Willow Springs Elementary special education teacher Brooke Coffman and West Plains Middle School fifth grade teacher Andrea Varney have each been recognized by their local McDonald’s restaurants with an Outstanding Educator Award.
The award program honors local educators for exhibiting the ultimate dedication to their students and those who go the extra mile to contribute to the improvement of education. Community members were invited to submit nominations online in August and September, and Coffman and Varney wwere selected from a pool of more than 1,700 nominations.
Winners of the outstanding educator award each receive a $100 Visa gift card to use toward their classroom, a coffee mug, certificates and McDonald’s coupons to provide to parents with outstanding students throughout the year.
Coffman, in addition, is one of five to win $1,000.
The Outstanding Educator Award Recipients are selected at random by using a random generator tool.
“I am nominating Brooke Coffman because of her dedication and love she pours into every student she meets,” said the person who nominated her. “She offers more love and patience than any other human I have met. She creates and encourages opportunities that most of these students would never receive if it wasn’t for her ongoing support and encouragement. Brooke has said before, ‘I am not only influencing these children as students but as future adults.’ She is phenomenal and gives 110% and expects nothing in return."
“Our local educators are the definition of perseverance and loyalty. They show up and give their all day after day to make sure our students thrive,” said McDonald’s of West Plains owner and operator Andi Hilburn-Vaini. “Andrea is so deserving of this award, and it is an honor to get to recognize her for all she does for the youth in the West Plains community.”
Local McDonald’s restaurants started this award program four years ago to celebrate area teachers and honor them for exhibiting the ultimate dedication to their students and going the extra mile to contribute to the improvement of education, said company officials.
