Alumna is Georgia Council for Exceptional Children Teacher of the Year
Jasmine Ennis
Georgia Southern University College of Education Alumna Jasmine (Sadler) Ennis (‘15) has been named the 2017 Georgia Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Teacher of the Year.
Presented with a plaque at the annual IDEAS Conference held on St. Simons Island, Georgia on June 9, Ennis was recognized for her outstanding service to students with exceptionalities. The award is given annually to a teacher whose work reflects significant educational success for students, continued professional development and high standards of educational quality.
“I feel blessed to have received the Teacher of the Year award from the Council for Exceptional Children,” said Ennis. “Throughout my life, I have been drawn to positions where I care for, teach and mentor children, and I am very passionate about working with children with disabilities.”
Ennis earned a bachelor’s in English Education from Kennesaw State University (KSU) and has taught in elementary, middle and high school settings. While in the classroom, she discovered a passion for working with students with disabilities. It was then that she decided to become certified in special education and pursued an Ed.S. in Special Education from Georgia Southern.
Today, Ennis holds 12 different teaching certifications and uses all of her knowledge in these various areas to assist her with teaching students with exceptionalities.
“I work to form encouraging relationships with my students by holding high expectations and creating a loving environment where they can reach their full potential,” said Ennis. “I take great pleasure in working with our special education student populations to help them compete along with other students, while reducing their barriers to performance. My goal is to aid these children in finding their place in the world.”
Two letters of recommendation were submitted on behalf of Ennis with her nomination for the CEC’s Teach of the Year award. Both written by parents of students that Ennis had taught, the letters highlighted her dedication as a teacher.
“We will forever be grateful for all that Ms. Jasmine Ennis has done for our son,” one parent wrote. “She takes children with special needs and provides them with motivation, support, resources and guidance to help them reach potentials that sometimes families are not even aware exist.”
“She teaches all her students more than what is on their curriculum,” another parent wrote. “She inspires them to have big dreams and goals, and she utilizes what is in and out of the classroom to do so. She draws on her passion and inspiration to pull out the potential in each and every one of them.”
A resource teacher at Chesnut Elementary School in Dunwoody, Georgia, Ennis is currently pursuing a doctorate of education in special education from KSU. Upon completion of her doctorate, Ennis says she has considered applying her knowledge in a higher education setting. Regardless, she plans to continue to pursue her passion and advocate for students with disabilities.
“Our special needs student population need people in their corner to ensure that they are heard and that their needs are met,” she said.
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides professional development, advocates for individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.
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