- April 18, 2024
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Jill Espinosa knew something was up when she walked into the “Evolve” lab at Belle Terre Elementary early Thursday morning. Administrators told her to take the day off — that she was needed as a speaker at a principal’s meeting that afternoon. But other faces in the room betrayed that something bigger was in store for the 16-year veteran instructor.
“We were all in there, and a few people just had ‘knowing smiles,’ she said. “I just tried to stop myself from crying. I thought ‘oh my gosh, this is what it is.’ I took a deep breath and had to pull myself together, because really, I thought I was just going to burst into tears.”
“This” was recognition as one of five finalists for Macy’s Florida Teacher of the Year, a visit from Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart and oh, yeah — a Barbie-dreamhouse-sized check made out to Espinosa for $5,000. Belle Terre was awarded a check for $1,000.
Espinosa — a kindergarten teacher and the school’s STEM coordinator — received the accolades in front of the entire student body during a 9 a.m. outdoor ceremony. Matanzas’ blue steel drum corps found its groove and Espinosa was ambushed on the blacktop with hugs from students and colleagues.
“This is a lady that thinks outside the box,” Belle Terre principal Terence Culver said. “If you go into her classroom, it’s student-led. Even during her conference times. When it’s parent-student conference times, she had the kid leading the conferences. Not her.”
As part of the selection process, Espinosa composed essays about her experiences in education. It was a self-audit of sorts, encompassing everything from past accomplishments and challenges to philosophies about trending topics like teacher evaluation. The process was just as important as its outcome, she said.
“It requires a lot of reflection,” Espinosa said. “If nothing had ever come of it, I think every teacher should have to write that essay.”
Back in college, Espinosa considered becoming a social worker. The pain of handling broken homes on a daily basis made her realize that it wasn’t her calling. As a teacher, she tries to make a difference in a more positive light; her students were glad to return the favor.
One 6-year-old kindergarten student said his favorite part of the morning’s festivities was “when Ms. Espinosa got all those dollars from that big check.”
“When I saw the kids, that was a little bit overwhelming, because they’re all so special,” Espinosa said. “I’m panning through the crowd and seeing former students’ faces, and I’m trying not to cry. That was really when I was just overwhelmed. But I didn’t faint or throw up.”
Administrators may have been able to keep Espinosa’s achievement under wraps for a little while, but it was no shock to anyone who’s seen her in action around the classroom.
“When we got the announcement that she was in the final five, I was not surprised one bit, because she’s very deserving of that honor,” superintendent Jacob Oliva said.
Macy’s Florida Teacher of the Year will be announced July 11 at Hard Rock Live in Orlando.
