The winner of the Rookie Teacher of the Year award here at Page has been awarded to Mrs. Bowser, an Earth and Environmental science teacher. According to Mrs. Bowser, winning this award meant a lot. “I am incredibly grateful and appreciative to have been chosen to win. It had to have been a tough decision for administration to make. I took a huge risk in terms of coming in lateral entry from my previous job, so to know that my hard work is being noticed is a huge honor!” It is her first year teaching ever and what a blessing she has been to Page. Because she is a new teacher, she wanted a way to break the ice with her students. So, at the beginning of the year she had her students participate in something she likes to call a “Weird Off” where kids would show the weirdest things about themselves with the class. According to Mrs. Bowser, “It helped students open- up, get to know each other, and show that everyone is weird in their own glorious way!” All of her students can agree that Mrs. Bowser embraces being weird and awkward. Something that they love about her is the fact that she admits when she is wrong or has made a mistake and lets the entire class help her fix the mistake. Mrs. Bowser teaches her class in a different way than most teachers. Most teachers give out worksheets, lecture or use power points. While she still may use these methods once in a while, she prefers to use methods of learning and review that really engage the students. One method she really enjoys is competitive games in teams. According to one of her students, Chloe Gorgen, “My favorite thing about Mrs. Bowser’s class is all of the hands on activities.” When asked about what set Mrs. Bowser apart from some other teachers she said, “She really cares about her students inside and outside of the classroom and she lets you know that she cares.” Overall Mrs. Bowser’s classroom is truly a special place for such a special family.