Mississippi American Star of Teaching!!!!

Not me!!! My husband!

Kris was awarded the 2007 Mississippi American Star of Teaching award today by a representative of the U.S. Department of Education! I am so proud of him. Samuel and I attended the ceremony. I'm glad my parents were there, though, because Samuel decided it would be a good time to start crying... right when the rep started speaking and during Kris' comments! Oh well.

A lot of students were present at the ceremony... all seniors (since Kris has taught most of them) and his current students. They all said "Awwww" when Samuel started crying. :)

The local paper interviewed Kris yesterday and ran the article this morning. Note the reference to Samuel and me!!! :)

WPHS teacher named 2007 Star of Teaching
By Jason Browne

Daily Times Leader

Each year the U.S. Department of Education chooses one teacher from each state as a Star of Teaching. This year the national organization chose one of West Point’s own.

Kris Hollis, biology teacher at West Point High School, was selected by the USDE amongst nominated teachers of all grades from all over Mississippi. He will accept his award personally from Rogers Johnson, director of intergovernmental affairs for the USDE, today at 10:45 a.m. at a ceremony in the WPHS gymnasium.

Hollis is on a roll lately, having been named as last year’s West Point School District Star Teacher and, more importantly, welcoming his newborn son, Samuel, into the world three months ago.

Although Hollis and his wife of eight years, Laura, live in Starkville, Hollis is pure West Point.

A 1993 graduate of WPHS, Hollis says the teachers who taught him, some of whom are still teaching today, laid the foundation for his success in education. And success is becoming quite a habit for Hollis. In addition to the Star of Teaching Award, he has been named Hebron’s star teacher, during one of his three years at the private school before coming to West Point, and has twice been selected as WPHS’s teacher of the year.

“I’ve won several awards over the years, but to be recognized by a national organization is pretty awesome,” said Hollis. “But I work with great teachers who are equally deserving. It kind of humbles you.”

Despite his humility, Hollis knows he does a good job. But he doesn’t work as hard as he does for awards and accolades. And he definitely doesn’t do it for the money.

“I take my job very seriously. We have to prepare these students for post-secondary studies,” he says. “It’s all about raising achievement for students.”

It’s Hollis’ determination to help as many students as possible which earns him attention from his administrators. Already this year Hollis has begun staying at school after the final bell to tutor students.

Hollis says his high school teachers showed him what it means to care about students, and now “it’s payback time.”

“To be able to give back, to contribute to the community, that’s really what it’s all about,” said Hollis. “And school is like the heart of the community. It’s a privilege to train students who will be future doctors, politicians and leaders.

Although Hollis acknowledges that being recognized as the 2007 Star of Teaching for all of Mississippi by the USDE could be a very attractive item on his resume, he says he intends to stay put until God has other plans for his life.

“I don’t think about stuff in those terms. If I wanted to do something for personal gains, I wouldn’t be in education,” he says.

The real reason Kris Hollis teaches can be witnessed after school during his tutoring class. On Aug. 29, five students from Hollis’ biology two class were at school after hours voluntarily to go over chemical equations prior to the first test of the semester.

The students say Hollis goes out of his way to make the material easy to understand.

“Usually, we get it on the first try,” said Erin Branson. “But he’s patient, too.”

According to the USDE, American Stars of Teaching are selected after being submitted for consideration by local principals, superintendents or colleagues. Researchers then consider personal testimonials and a questionnaire filled out by the principal before choosing a handful of nominees to present to a voting committee.

The voting committee, which is comprised of former teachers, discusses each finalist and votes by secret ballot.

Over 4000 nominations were received for 2007 Star of Teaching consideration.