When Anne Thomas received an envelope from Williams College about a prestigious award called the Olmsted Award, she nonchalantly tossed it into the recycling bin. At the time, Thomas had no idea that she had been chosen as one of the four most influential teachers nominated by students at Williams College.
The Olmsted Award is given to four high school teachers every year that have greatly influenced a graduating senior at Williams College. Every senior nominates the teacher that helped them the most in high school and a board decides who should get the award. Along with a certificate of recognition, the winners receive a $3000 prize as well as $2500 for their school.
Thomas’s former student, Erik Levinsohn, a CHS graduate of 2008, nominated her for the Olmsted Award and got her elected as one of the recipients. “I don’t know what he wrote but he must have written something very nice,” said Thomas of her former student.
When John Boshoven, a counselor at CHS, realized that Thomas had thrown away a very important award nomination, he went to talk to her. Boshoven informed her of the immediate importance of the envelope that she had received.
Thomas was astonished that she had won the award. “I’ve never won anything before in my life! I feel pretty honored,” she said. She will be receiving an all-expenses-paid trip to Williamstown, MA, where she will attend Levinsohn’s graduation ceremony and be honored with the award, as well as her prize money and the school’s prize money. “I’m very excited to get to see it,” said Thomas of her former student’s college and graduation ceremony.
Although Thomas has always loved math, she wasn’t always so sure about becoming a teacher. She has held a variety of jobs, from social work, to engineering, to teaching English as a Second Language in China.
In college, Thomas started out on a path towards an engineering degree. She knew she loved math, but when she realized how dry and boring engineering was, she quickly switched her major to peer math and education. She bounced around a few more jobs before deciding she was going to teach.
“I went to social work school and helped with homeless people but that wasn’t very rewarding to me,” she said. Thomas feels that there is nothing better than to teach students who are eager to learn.
Her first real teaching experience, however, was as a long term substitute teacher at Community. Right after Thomas finished her undergrad program at the University of Michigan, she found herself at CHS substituting for a teacher on medical leave at the time. This was Anne’s first taste of teaching at a school like Community. She loved it.
When the opportunity arose, Thomas decided to go to China with her husband. “…I taught English as a Second Language. Most of the kids there already spoke really good English. My Chinese was horrible but I was still able to communicate with them.”
Back in the United States, Thomas heard about an opening in the staff at Community High School. Having had such a great first experience at Community, she sent in her resume and applied for the job and was hired right away.
Thomas is inspired by her students. “I feel so fortunate to have a job that I love,” she said. “I find this job incredibly rewarding because of the students. It’s neat to see somebody learn something they didn’t understand before.”
CHS sophomore Christian O’Keefe admires Thomas’s dedication to teaching. “She’s understanding and fun. She really helps you understand and never gives up on you.”
Sonny Spears, a senior at CHS agrees. “She’s so excited about math, she actually loves it!”
Thomas, who has been teaching for more than twenty years, felt immediately at home when she came to CHS. “Community really fits me. I love the way the students call me by my first name. When people say ‘Mrs. Thomas’ I think of my mom,” she said, laughing.
Thomas’s enthusiasm and passion for teaching is apparent. “There’s just something about teaching that is so rewarding to me.” Thomas said contently. “I’m just happy to have a job that I love doing.”
