By Peter Mikhael
Prenatal teacher Carol Nelson was met with bright lights, cameras and a big basket when she walked into the school’s front office. Nominated by a former Richardson student, Nelson was selected as WFAA’s Good Morning Texas “Teacher of the Month.”
“She is the most amazing teacher ever,” alumnus Kenya Herrera said in her nomination. “She invested all her time and effort to help me get through high school and made sure I was on the right track to graduate. She was always there when you needed her. She was always a person you could go and talk to for anything without being judged. Being a teen parent is already hard, but Mrs. Nelson [is] behind you, always pushing you to keep on going and never give up because she will never give up on you.”
Kenya graduated four years ago and is now raising her 6-year-old. She said she nominated Nelson because Nelson stayed on her, got her to go school and graduate.
Teachers are nominated through WFAA’s website, and each month a winner is announced and recognized in a Good Morning Texas segment. City Credit Union sponsors the event.
“It was unbelievable – I was totally blown away,” Nelson said. “I didn’t know about this until when they showed up. Mr. Bruner called me and said ‘I need to see you,’ and I thought ‘Oh my God, what have I done now.’ Then I walked down there and – Boom – they were all there. It totally shocked me. It was really cool.”
Nelson received a $100 visa gift card, a $50 gift card for Half Price Books, and a big basket of food, lotion and other products. Nelson, who was a teen parent as a Richardson student, said she wants to give the Half Price Books gift card to Kenya to buy books for her kid.
“At eighteen, I was pregnant at this very school,” Nelson said. “My heart is just so into this job. And back then, there was no one here for me. Now, we help them, and they graduate, and it’s all good.”
Sophomore Destiny Henry said she felt happy for Nelson because of the effort she puts into her job.
“Mrs. Nelson deserves it because she is an amazing role model,” Henry said. “Last year, I almost gave up on school and she actually came to my house and talked to me and convinced me to come back and now I’m making A’s and B’s.”