Laura Young
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The faculty and staff of Jefferson County K-12 (JCS) honored three of their fellow educational team members earlier this month. Carrie Wahlquist was named the Elementary Teacher of the Year; Rebecca Egbuka was selected as the Secondary Teacher of the Year; and Heather Collins was chosen as the School-Related Employee of the year. Subsequently, JCS Principal Jackie Pons and Superintendent Eydie Tricquet selected Wahlquist as the Jefferson County Teacher of the Year.

Kindergarten Teacher Carrie Wahlquist

has always enjoyed working with children, even when she was just a child herself. After she volunteered in a preschool while still in high school, she knew she wanted to be a teacher, and joining the teaching profession was a natural choice.
Her teacher training began with an associate's degree from Tallahassee Community College, followed by a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Flagler College. She got her start as a teacher right here at Jefferson Elementary in 2012, where she taught for two years before moving away. This past summer, she and her husband moved back to North Florida from Massachusetts, and she reached out to JCS, wanting to be a part of “restoring the roar,” bringing with her 11 years of experience across all of the elementary grades.
“The best part about teaching kindergarten,” says Wahlquist, “is many times I am the first teacher these children have ever had. It's exciting to teach them about school and how to be good students. The absolute best part is watching them grow. By the end of kindergarten, they are so much bigger and brighter. I love it!”
She hopes her children find a love of learning in her classroom that leads them to develop confidence in their learning abilities and skill as readers and writers. She recognizes that the challenges of being a classroom teacher must be met with a lot of patience and a very specific skill set.
“Being a teacher is like a web browser with multiple tabs open,” Wahlquist explains. “You're teaching, but you're also managing behaviors and observing to see who needs to be pulled into a small group while also thinking about how you can alter this lesson to meet the needs of all of your students.”
It's all worth it, she adds, when you see a child gain an understanding of a concept that was previously difficult for them. Wahlquist also has the pleasure of seeing her students from 10 years ago now as 10th graders.
“Almost daily I hear 'Ms. McEachin' (my maiden name) shouted from across campus and I see my former 'firsties' basically all grown up and doing well. The first student to recognize me gave me a huge hug, and I almost cried. It was a big part of me returning to JCS, being part of a community again and having that sense of family that I had before I left.”
She is honored and humbled to have been selected by her colleagues as a teacher of the year.
“People don't teach for the awards and accolades, but to be recognized for the good work you're doing is a feeling that is hard to put into words.”
When not engaged with the young learners at JCS, Wahlquist enjoys spending time with her husband, ten-month-old daughter and other family who live nearby.

Secondary Mathematics

Teacher Rebecca Egbuka

followed several family members who were educators into the teaching profession. She always loved school, both the learning and the socializing, and embraced opportunities to find solutions to challenges.
She began training to be a teacher by earning a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and a master's degree in Secondary Education from Southeast Missouri State University. On-the-job training continued with conferences on strategies for teaching math, the Response to Intervention process and using data to make informed decisions.
“I have also been fortunate to work with teachers and administration who have provided support, advice, suggestions and feedback,” says Egbuka. “These people have played a huge role in helping me to become the teacher I am today.”
Egbuka is new to JCS this year and brings with her eight years of experience. This year at JCS she is teaching Geometry, Algebra 1, Math for Data and Financial Literacy. In addition to math concepts and skills, Egbuka wants her students to learn the life skills that will lead them to be successful in whatever they choose to do after high school.
“I want my students to be problem solvers, to advocate for themselves, to be hard workers, to communicate effectively and to be kind to all people,” she says.
To meet the challenge of having students with different needs and personal stories, she constantly adapts her plans and strategies to meet the needs of individuals as well as the whole class. The best part of teaching, she says, is the students themselves.
“I love getting to know them and getting to be a small part of their lives. Our kids at JCS are the best. They have challenged me. They have encouraged me. They have inspired me.”
Egbuka also appreciates her colleagues, and being recognized by them with this award means a lot to her.
“The people I get to work with at JCS have so much knowledge about the field that they're willing to share,” says Egbuka. “I am thankful for our common plan meetings dedicated to learning and growing.”
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, taking their dogs to the dog park, watching movies, doing DIY projects around the house and trying new recipes.

Internal Accountant Heather Collins

also serves as the coordinator for special events and field trips at JCS. She is an alumna of Jefferson County High School and has been working at the school for two and a half years. She appreciates the opportunity that she has through her work to make a difference in the lives of the students and in the wider community. Collins really enjoys having daily interactions with both the students and the staff of JCS and embraces the challenge of all that's involved in “restoring the roar” at the school.
“The award is meaningful as it was voted on strictly by my peers and colleagues,” says Collins. “We are a strong team committed to serving the students and our community.”
Collins and her husband have two grown sons. When the school day ends, she enjoys gardening, raising livestock on their farm, attending church, hunting, fishing and volunteering in the community.
Congratulations to these educational professionals! Jefferson County is fortunate to benefit from your commitment to educating the youth in our community.