At the end of the school day last Friday, Brigitte Tennis led her eighth-grade class to the cafeteria at Rose Hill Middle School in Redmond.

She had been told that her students’ netbook computers needed to be updated for the upcoming state testing and techs from the district would be onsite to do the work. But when the class arrived in the cafeteria, they found the remaining students from Stella Schola Middle School — a Lake Washington School District (LWSD) choice school that shares a building with Rose Hill — seated in chairs facing the stage. And unlike Tennis’ students  — still dressed in their lab coats from an earlier frog-dissection lesson — none of the sixth- or seventh-graders had their computers with them.

This was because everyone was gathered to recognize Tennis as she had been selected to be inducted into this year’s National Teachers Hall of Fame (NTHF) — an honor that took her completely by surprise.

“(Rose Hill principal Erin Bowser) did a fabulous job disguising everything,” said Tennis, who has worked for LWSD since 1981 and founded Stella Schola in 2000.

Bowser admitted that while she was excited to hear the news about Tennis receiving the honor, she was not excited to plan the surprise. She said Tennis always schedules things far in advance and down to the minute. Bowser said she made sure to check Tennis’ calendars to make sure not to disrupt the schedule. Bowser said she decided to go with the netbooks idea because she thought if the “request” came from the district level, Tennis would have no choice but to comply.

“I thought that was the only option,” Bowser said with a laugh.

A VALIDATING HONOR

Tennis was nominated by a parent of a former student. That former student is now about 26 years old, she said.

NTHF notified her about the nomination in the fall of 2014. Following the nomination, Tennis said she had to fill out an application form, write a few essays from prompts that were provided and produce a three-minute video that was supposed to encompass her as a teacher. She originally captured two hours of footage that had to be pared down for the final cut.

Two former students — now freshmen at the University of Washington — helped her edit the video.

“She should be (nominated),” said Gretchen Mayo, one of those former students. “She definitely deserves it.”

Julian Boss, the other student to help with the video, had struggled academically in elementary school. He said after attending Stella Schola, whose emphasis is focused on mastery learning for all students, he developed good study habits that led him to a more successful academic career in high school and now in college.

Mayo added that the lessons Tennis and the other teachers at Stella Schola instill in their students go beyond the curriculum. They teach their students how to be better people, she said.

Mark Andrews, who sits on the board of trustees for NTHF, presented Tennis with the honor. He began the presentation by asking the students to think of a teacher they have had who believed in them and pushed them to succeed. He then went on to explain why he was at their school and described the person they were recognizing.

After the first few qualities he listed, students began turning around to look at Tennis, who was sitting in the back of the room.

Tennis, once she realized what was happening, became visibly emotional.

“It’s validating,” she said both about being nominated and then receiving the honor.

Tennis said it makes her feel good to know that what she does every day is making a difference among her students. She added that she couldn’t do what she does without the support she receives from her colleagues at Stella Schola and a school district that understands that there are different styles of learning and teaching.

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

In addition to Andrews, LWSD Superintendent Dr. Traci Pierce and Washington Education Association Vice President Stephen Miller were also in attendance.

Pierce gave a few comments during the assembly.

“I’m so excited,” she said about Tennis’ honor.

Pierce also recalled the first few times she met Tennis and how the other woman was always wearing a costume. Pierce said those costumes were indicative of Tennis’ passion and creativity when it comes to getting students to learn.

Pierce added that Tennis never received the memo that there is no school on Saturdays as she offers help to students who need or want it on the weekend day.

In a press release issued by LWSD, Bowser added, “Clearly, Mrs. Tennis is a busy person. Yet she never is too busy to sit down one on one with a student before or after school to help. Time and time again, she sets everything aside to help her students. She has established a safe community where students feel welcome, whether they are in her class this year or 15 years ago.”

After hearing all that she does, Miller said he is “just a social studies teacher” compared to Tennis, who teaches other subjects including Latin and science in addition to social studies.

“I’m a little intimidated,” Miller admitted to the audience when he spoke.

MEETING AND LEARNING FROM OTHERS

Tennis was one of five teachers nationwide to be inducted into the NTHF this year and the only teacher from the West Coast. In addition, she is also only the fourth teacher from Washington to be inducted since the NTHF started in 1989.

Each of the five inductees were surprised at an assembly organized by their school district. Each district used a different strategy to pull off the surprise announcement.

“Whatever it takes to keep the inductee in the dark until the announcement,” said NTHF Executive Director Carol Strickland in the LWSD release. “It’s a very special honor to be inducted, but to share that announcement with your entire school, especially when you’re the center of attention, puts a new spotlight on what it means to be a teacher.”

This year’s inductees share a combined total of 145 years of teaching experience.

Tennis and the other selected teachers will travel to Washington D.C. from April 29 to May 2 and to Emporia, Kan. from June 9-13 for a series of induction events. Each will also receive $1,000 for education materials. They will also receive new computer software for the classroom.

Tennis said she is looking forward to her trips to learn from the other educators and bring that knowledge back to Redmond with her.

“I live and breathe education,” she said. “I would choose nothing else.”