Amanda Weatherwax, a longtime English teacher at Talawanda High School, received the 2020 Teckman Outstanding Educator Award, administered through the Oxford Community Foundation.

Weatherwax was nominated by her students, who praised her for keeping the school’s non-physical contact extracurricular activities, including the mock trial team, active during the COVID-19 pandemic when face-to-face classes were shut down.

“At the beginning of each semester, she tells her classes a story about an old professor she had that told her that he is always her teacher,” one nominator told the foundation. “She reiterates the message to us and says she’ll always be our teacher.”

Created by Charlie and Joan Teckman in 1997, to honor Charlie’s parents, Harry and Virginia Teckman, the award recognizes an excellent educator in the Talawanda School District, according to the foundation. The Teckmans both were retired educators. Joan Teckman died earlier this fall, but the award will continue to be made annually, according to the foundation.