At Hernando High School, the Teacher of the Year award went to Sarah Austin, the high school journalism teacher. Ms. Austin takes charge of three different forms of journalism. Her dedication to the programs and her students has made it one of the most active classes around. She has grown significantly and shown a great deal of initiative during her time at Hernando High.
“This is my seventh year teaching journalism,” she said. “Before this, I taught for five years at another place. When I first got to HHS, I actually took over the EOT program. That program has really grown since it started.”“Last year, I added the sports journalism class and included the newspaper into the mix,” she said. “One of the main things I focus on in my classes is interview skills,” she said. “These skills are key in journalism, but they’re also great for job interviews.”
Winning Teacher of the Year came as an unexpected honor.
“I was genuinely shocked when I found out I won the Teacher of the Year award,” she said.
For her, journalism isn’t just about writing stories; it’s about preparing students for life outside the classroom.
She teaches in a way that shows how journalism is constantly changing. Her students learn how to use a variety of tools, preparing them for what they will likely encounter after they graduate.
“One of the highlights of my program is that students get to use video cameras and edit their projects with professional software,” she said. “That kind of technical know-how is crucial in today’s digital age.”
Using this software in their day-to-day lives shows students how beneficial it is to know how to use and properly take care of these tools. What her students are doing closely mirrors what is expected in real journalism. They tell stories about school events, meet deadlines and create content that highlights Hernando High, both in magazines and around town.
“What I really need to make sure of is that we’ve got enough content for the newspaper,” she said.
She has also opened doors for students interested in media careers, giving them opportunities to explore different career paths before graduating high school.
“Taking a journalism class can set you up for a wide range of careers,” she said. “In a world driven by social media, journalism is really significant.”
Outside of class, she helps students get involved at school and feel connected. She understands the pressure students face when their work is shared with peers and community members.
“Our school holds events about once or twice a month,” she said. “These gatherings give students a chance to relax and connect. The workload can be pretty intense since everyone in the school and some community members pay attention to what they produce.”
Several of Mrs. Austin’s students shared what it has been like to have her as a teacher.
“I think she deserved Teacher of the Year because of all the hard work she put into the class for students who are passionate about journalism,” said Dalton Lopez. “She attended nearly 90% of all the home sports games last year for HTSN to get it off the ground so it could become a student-led class. She has also been fighting for student journalism recognition, and she’s just a great teacher.”
Lopez has been in journalism classes since his sophomore year. He and Mrs. Austin have watched each other grow and learn new things about journalism each year.
“She has a lot of patience for her students, she understands her students, and she is there for them no matter what,” said Carly Hare. “She loves her job and her students, not just because it’s her job.”
Hare has been in journalism since her sophomore year. While she has not been in the program long, Ms. Austin has already made a positive impact, helping her feel comfortable in the classroom.
Sarah Austin winning the Teacher of the Year award shows how much effort she has put into building strong programs and supporting students along the way, leaving an impact that will help them use these skills for the rest of their lives.
“To have the administration notice all the hard work I’ve put into my programs was an amazing feeling,” she said.
She said she is proud and very grateful for the award and considers it a true honor.
