Nov 25, 2018 3 min read

A career that is valuable, but underappreciated, is one that plays an instrumental role in almost every other job in the world. Teachers do not typically get much recognition or appreciation for the hard work that they do, which is why organizations such as Honored.org have chosen to recognize teachers that do exceptional work in their classrooms.

One of Trinity High School’s teachers, Alyssa Cotton, will be the December recipient of the award sponsored by the nonprofit organization. Cotton currently teaches AP calculus AB and honors oracle I, II and III, and is well-known among Hiller students for her dedication and passion for teaching.

Cotton was nominated by 2018 graduate Zachary Dinch, who credits her with his success in school, his current prospects concerning his future and for encouraging him to apply to Princeton University, where he is now a student.

“Though she’d surely claim otherwise, Mrs. Cotton is truly a one-in-a-million person whose kindness continues to inspire me every single day. If I, along with the rest of society, was able to exhibit even a fraction of her character, the world would be a much better place to live,” expressed Dinch in his nomination letter.

Cotton is the first Pennsylvania teacher to receive the award, and will be featured on their website beginning Dec. 1, along with a write-up discussing her impact as a teacher and pictures from a photo shoot with Dinch. Each recipient also receives a prize of $5,000 cash and an additional $1,000 to donate to one or more teachers of their choosing from the website Donorschoose.org.

Though Cotton teaches one of Trinity’s demanding AP classes, calculus AB, she has no trouble helping her students understand the important concepts and apply them to the AP exam. Trinity’s AP calculus AB program holds a passing rate of 80 percent, compared to the national average of 58 percent. In 2017, 29 students passed the calculus AB test. The next year, 71 passed.

Many students, both current and former, praise Cotton for her continuous effort to reach out and help her students whether they are struggling or just need extra reassurance along the way. She is known as one of those teachers who will not stop pushing her students to work as hard as they can until they achieve the test scores and the grades that they desire.

“The reason why I push my kids so hard is to show that I care and I know their potential,” said Cotton.

Cotton expressed her appreciation for her students, whom she credits with being the real reason for the recognition she has received.

“We chose this profession to help students, to be a positive role model,” she said. “Receiving a thank you from a student is all the recognition we need to feel appreciated, and to feel like we’re doing our job.”

Cotton is not only admired by her students but also by other members of the faculty at Trinity High School, including administrators.

“Mrs. Cotton is hardworking and she is willing to sacrifice her own time to help students and colleagues reach their goals. She never says no to anyone. More importantly, she makes students believe they are capable of any academic challenge if they work hard,” said Thomas Samosky, high school principal.