A Sycamore Elementary School teacher has been honored for her work in the classroom. DeAnne Daniels, a social studies teacher at Sycamore Elementary, is the recipient of the 2023 Gwen Hutcheson Outstanding Social Studies Educator Award at the elementary level from the Georgia Council for the Social Studies (GCSS). The award acknowledges educators who have made remarkable contributions to social studies.
“It is my extreme honor to represent Gwinnett County as the recipient of the 2023 Gwen Hutcheson Outstanding Social Studies Educator Award at the elementary level,” Mrs. Daniels shares. “Every day, I strive to engage my students at a high level so that they will become passionate historians, economists, geographers, and citizens.”
Sycamore Elementary School Principal Kelly Scarborough says Mrs. Daniels is dedicated to providing quality instruction and forming lasting relationships with students. “Mrs. Daniels is a passionate teacher who works tirelessly daily to provide quality instruction,” Mrs. Scarborough shares. “She creates meaningful and powerful relationships with her students that last many years after they have left her classroom at Sycamore. We are so lucky to have her as a member of our school family.”
Recipients of the Gwen Hutcheson Outstanding Social Studies Educator Award receive a cash award of $250 and a two-year comprehensive membership to the National Council for the Social Studies. To qualify for the honor, nominees must have at least five years of experience in social studies education and be active members of the Georgia Council for Social Studies for two years.
The award is named for Gwen Hutcheson, who served faithfully as a teacher, Georgia RESA consultant, Georgia Department of Education Social Studies Program Specialist, and a consultant for the Georgia Council on Economic Education. Recipients are nominated and then voted upon based on the following criteria: minimum of 5 years of teaching experience; demonstration of significant service in the classroom, school, and community that fosters the development of democratic values and citizenship; contributions to the field of social studies by leading professional learning. “We in the Social Studies Office appreciate all that Mrs. Daniels does to support social studies instruction in GCPS, and we are thrilled that she is the recipient of the 2023 Gwen Hutcheson Outstanding Elementary Educator Award from the Georgia Council for the Social Studies,” says Jeremy Nix, GCPS director of Social Studies, K-5.