Houston, TX May 18, 2004

Project GRAD Teacher Named
Houston Teacher of the Year

Melissa Carroll, Director of Public Relations
Project GRAD Houston
Tel. 832-325-0301 Cell 713-253-6953
mcarroll@projectgradhouston.org

Nicole Shanahan accepts the Secondary Teacher of the Year award and thanks family, faculty and staff members of Davis HS and H.I.S.D. for the recognition.

On Tuesday, May 18, 2004, HISD recognized the districts secondary teacher of the year at a ceremony at the George R. Brown Convention Center.  Davis High School Project GRAD Math Teacher Nicole Shanahan, 34, was named H.I.S.D.’s Secondary Teacher of the Year for winning the respect of her colleagues by volunteering to take all the failing geometry students at Davis Highs School. “I wanted them to feel like we were all in the same boat and we were all trying to learn,” says Shanahan. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Hopefully, I did make a connection.” Shanahan also gave up much of her free time to tutor students who were in danger of failing the Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skills.

“Even on Easter weekend, I was meeting kids at the library to tutor them for TAKS,” she says. “Many of our other teachers do that too.” 

Shanahan received a $5,000 check and a chance at the Texas Teacher of the Year Award to be given out this fall. Project GRAD teacher of the Year finalists on the primary level include: Diane Gillespie, Hamilton Middle School, and Carolyn Davis, Dodson Elementary School. Shanahan received a $5,000 check and a change at the Texas Teacher of the Year Award to be given out this fall. Project GRAD Teacher of the Year Finalists on the primary level include: Diane Gillespie, Hamilton Middle School, and Carolyn Davis, Dodson Elementary School.