Excellent Educators is a WAVY-TV 10 initiative to celebrate local teachers who have gone above and beyond for their students and communities during the last academic year. These Excellent Educators were nominated by their school divisions. Congratulations to these educators for all of their hard work and accomplishments!
Name: Cynthia Hayes
Division: Mathews County Public Schools
Position: CTE teacher at Mathews High School
What the school division said about this Excellent Educator: As school divisions across the Commonwealth and country struggle with the ever-growing issue of the teacher shortage, Mathews High School teacher Cynthia Hayes proposed the reinstatement of the Teach for Tomorrow program. This program has been well-received by students, mostly because of the strong rapport Hayes has with them.
Hayes always goes the extra mile to maximize the potential of her students. Her goal is to “grow our own teachers.” She and her students participated in the Second Annual Education Immersion Day hosted at Longwood University on Oct. 27, 2022, which motivates students to attend college and pursue their dreams. The 15 Mathews students expressed interest in several teacher preparation tracks, including elementary and secondary teaching, special education, and early childhood education.
Hayes truly inspires students every single day.