Buchholz High School teacher Christin Vinson received USA Today’s Amazing Teacher of the Year award during a ceremony on Thursday.
According to an Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) release, Vinson, who teaches math and learning strategies, received the award for the month of December. The honor included a $5,000 award and she was presented with an additional $10,000 at Thursday’s ceremony at Buchholz.
Vinson, who once pulled her car over after spotting a senior who hadn’t been in class for three months and encouraged him to return and finish school, has taught in ACPS for 26 years, including 10 years at Buchholz.
“Going above and beyond is the standard for Mrs. Vinson,” said Buchholz principal Kevin Purvis in the release. “Her ability to bridge the gap between home and school has been instrumental in helping countless students overcome barriers and reach their full potential.”
The Amazing Teacher program is coordinated locally by The Gainesville Sun and sponsored by Florida Credit Union.
“I was emotional to know that someone had nominated me and had seen something that sometimes I don’t think we see in ourselves because we do it every day,” said Vinson, who is also the mother of two children who went through the ACPS school system, in the release. “We don’t do it for the recognition, we do it because we love being with students.”
Vinson said she’s grateful she learned about the award before her father died in January.
“He was my rock and my hero,” she said. “Being able to share this with him before he passed…I can’t put it into words.”