Local Teacher Receives Award
More than a year ago, when Pritesh Tanna was a sophomore in teacher Tammy Sweeney's Advaced Placement World History class at Manheim Township High School (MTHS), he heard an advertisement on WITF radio. "I heard that I could nominate a teacher (for an award) through WITF," recalled Tanna. "I really wanted to do that, so I talked to my parents." Tanna's parents agreed. In the fall of 2021, when he heard the announcement again, he went to the WITF website and completed the application to nominate Sweeney for a Teacher Impact Award, which is given by WITF in conjunction with Rotary District 7390. Tanna asked his father to check over his completed application and submitted it to the competition.
In April, Sweeney received an email congratuating her for being named a Teacher Impact Award winner. She searched the email in vain for the name of the person who had nominated her. "I wondered if I would find out," she recalled. A few weeks later, Sweeney received another email. This one contained Tanna's name and an excerpt from his nomination, which read in part, "Ms. Sweeney ... takes so much personal interest in each of the students and is incredibly engaged and involved in the school." "It was very humbling and very nice," said Sweeney of Tanna's nomination. "It was amazing that a young person took the time to do that."
"I nominated her for the passion she brings to the classroom," said Tanna, who admitted that he was more interested in science, technology, engineering, and math before taking Sweeney's class. "The work she puts into her classes is crazy," he said with admiration. "It's like 24/7 she is thinking about us and trying to help us succeed."
Several times in his letter of nomination Tanna mentioned a trip Sweeney had been planning for students. The trip, which was not affiliated with MTHS, was focused on educating students. "The trip to Thailand was going to happen, but they are experiencing supply chain issues and worker shortages," explained Sweeney. "Logistically, it was not going to work." Instead, Sweeney has arranged for 24 students to visit the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon Rainforest beginning on Wednesday, June 22. "The focus will be on environmental conservation," said Sweeney, who noted that students will visit a giant tortoise sanctuary as well as seeing them in the wild and visiting a breeding program. Tanna noted that he has been reading about the biodiversity of the Galapagos Islands.
"In the Amazon, we will visit Kichwa community, an indigenous village, where traditional ways of life persist," said Sweeney. "We will work directly with village shamans to learn about traditional medicines," she added, noting that the roots of many types of medications are found in that area.
On May 24, a reception was held for Teacher Impact Award winners at WITF studios in Harrisburg. "(WITF staff) came by and videotaped the class and interviewed both of us," said Sweeney, who noted a television special would be compiled from the footage. Sweeney was excited to learn that the award included funds that she could use to purchase classroom materials.
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