The Tennessee Department of Education held its third annual student essay contest with students responding to the prompt: “My teacher inspired me to…” After receiving nearly 3,000 entries, the department selected one student winner in each grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8. 9-12), and the winning students celebrated their honored teachers with surprise ceremonies throughout the state. Ella Nottis, a second grader at Allen Elementary in Soddy Daisy, was announced as the winner of the K-2 video essay contest category.
Ella honored her librarian, Tracy Russell for inspiring her love of reading.