Even without any students in Keisha Fedderman’s classroom, one would get the impression that she is dedicated to getting her students to college. Hanging on the walls of J159 are college pennants and affirmations of the ability to attend college.

Because of Fedderman’s dedication to West Creek and her students, the faculty named her as the school’s Teacher of the Year. She, along with other schools’ teachers of the year, will be honored tonight at Central Services South at 5:30 p.m.

“It is such a fulfilling moment,” Fedderman said. “When I began teaching, I had this goal in my five-year plan. It means more that my peers voted for me. I was seen.” She would like to thank the teachers for awarding her this honor.

Fedderman came into teaching as a second career. She graduated from Ball State University and Indiana University as an education major but worked as a family consultant. It was only when she moved to Tennessee that she chose to work in her degree field.

“I decided to use my degree to have more time with children and be on the same schedule as them,” she said. “Plus, who doesn’t love snow days?”

Although Fedderman teaches in the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program here, she first started as an eight-grade English teacher at New Providence Middle School. She taught there for six years before starting at West Creek at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. She won Teacher of the Year there in 2021.

Having only been a Coyote for two years, Fedderman has already made her mark on the school. She is heavily involved in extracurricular activities. Not only does she teach AVID, but she also serves as the school’s student government association sponsor and helps coach the flag football team.

“Being involved is multifaceted,” she said. “It shows your students, peers, administrators and the community that you are invested in your school and you care. Find at least one way, one activity to involve yourself in with time allowable. It will build rapport all the way around.”

Fedderman thinks her students would say she is loud. “But I hope they would also say that I am approachable and motherly,” she said. “That they know that I truly care and want the best for them.”

Congratulations to Ms. Fedderman on this honor.