Blytheville teacher competes for state title

By MARCUS MCCLAIN

NEA Town Courier

In 2017, Blytheville’s Candice Groves received her first Teacher of the Year award at the high school. This past April, she earned the award district-wide, and has now garnered recognition on the state level.

District honorees across the state are compiled and analyzed by the state board of education. And on July 5, the Arkansas Department of Education selected its regional finalists for the state Teacher of the Year award with Groves representing the Blytheville School District.

A total of 14 educators were selected and will be honored on July 27 at the Governor's Mansion.

Groves serves the district as the French I-IV instructor and French Club sponsor, Journalism teacher and school newspaper sponsor, the Trap team assistant coach and the Tenaris Afterschool Program Assistant Director.

“I was thrilled when I was selected as the Blytheville High School Teacher of the Year back in April, and then later as the District Teacher of the Year. In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined that I would be a Regional Finalist for Arkansas Teacher of the Year! I love teaching, and I love my students. It is truly humbling to see my name listed among the top 14 teachers in the state, and an honor to have the opportunity to represent the Blytheville School District in this capacity,” Groves told the Courier.

She credited her passion for teaching to her parents, Ruben and Brenda Keisler for setting the example during her childhood in Malvern. Both educators as well, their educational backgrounds are now also carrying through another generation.

“So much of how I teach and what I do as an educator is a reflection of how they taught me by their example,” Groves said. “Now I am passing that love of education on to my daughter who is also a BHS teacher, and my son will be graduating from Arkansas State University with a teaching degree.”

In her spare time, Groves remains active in the community collecting an average of 250 volunteer hours per year.

She has served on the Mississippi County Arts Council Board of Directors since 2008 and stirs her students towards being just as active.

The French Club volunteers with Main Street Blytheville and Lights of the Delta in preparing for the holidays, as well as creating food baskets for the families in the district during the Thanksgiving season.

The Arkansas Teacher of the Year pro-gram is part of the National Teacher of the Year, recognizing educators for their work. Of the 14 regional finalists, four will be named as semi-finalists at the Governor's Mansion and the Arkansas Teacher of the Year will be named this fall.

The state teacher of the year will be granted paid administrative leave from his/her district to work with the ADE. Here, duties will include professional development and providing technical assistance to Arkansas teachers and students, serving as an ambassador for education in the state, making appropriate public appearances and representing Arkansas in the national competition.