- February 7, 2025
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Each week the Port Orange Observer will highlight a teacher nominated for the title of Volusia County School District's 2019 Teacher of the Year.
Silver Sands Middle School Counselor Beth Provenzano, who is currently the 6th grade school counselor to 403 students, was nominated for the honor. She has been at Silver Sands for 22 years and has been a school counselor for 24 years.
Volusia County public schools each selected a Teacher of the Year in order to vie for the title of Volusia County School District's 2019 Teacher of the Year. This year, 71 winners were chosen by their peers. The current Volusia County Teacher of the Year is Jason Kester, who teaches culinary arts at Mainland High.
The 2019 district Teacher of the Year winner will be announced on Friday, Jan. 12, and will be nominated for the state Teacher of the Year program.
Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
1. How do you feel to be nominated?
I feel honored to be nominated by my colleagues at Silver Sands Middle to represent our school as their Teacher of the Year.
2. Why did you want to be a teacher?
I was inspired to become a school counselor because of my mom. She was a high school teacher for over 20 years. She taught me the importance of education. I witnessed firsthand her unyielding dedication, leadership and commitment to her students. Seeing her make an impact on her students made me realize that I wanted to do the same and help others.
3. What is the most challenging part of teaching?
I think the most challenging part of being a school counselor is knowing the struggles that some of our students face daily outside of school while trying to encourage them to focus on their academics while at school.
4. What is the most rewarding part of teaching?
The most rewarding part of being a school counselor is being able to provide support and guidance to every student and truly feel as though you make a difference in a student’s life. One of my roles as a school counselor is to teach our students about honesty, compassion, tolerance, confidence and patience, as well as the importance of academics and their education. By providing students with these tools they will become self-confident, successful and self-sustaining individuals in the future. Nothing feels better than when a former student comes back after graduating high school or college and says “thank you for all that you did for me while I was in middle school, you made a difference.”
5. If you could tell students one thing what would it be?
That they can do and achieve anything if they put their mind and heart into it.
