Agnes Farrell of Gorham, who is retiring after teaching 15 years in SAD 57, was recognized on May 4 by the Sanford Wal-Mart as teacher of the year.

She was surprised with the award while performing lunch duty in the cafeteria at the Waterboro Elementary School, where she taught the second-grade. Along with the award, she received a check for $1,000 for the school; a fifty-dollar gift certificate for her classroom; a plaque, a bouquet of flowers; and a Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year vest.

Farrell was nominated for the award by several parents and former students. She has been instrumental in the introduction of several special programs, field trips, and cultural events at the school. She served on several committees and was well known for dressing up and pretending to be characters from famous children’s books.

One of Farrell’s special memories is being recognized and honored by being selected as Wal-Mart’s “Teacher of the Year 2005.” She said that would always be a special memory. She thanked all the administrators and staff, and especially the second-grade team at Waterboro Elementary School.

Farrell enjoys collecting children’s books. Her other favorite pastimes include reading, knitting, and gardening.

While at Waterboro Elementary School, Farrell was involved in the Waterboro Parent Teacher Club, serving a term as vice president. She was a member of the Science Curriculum Committee and the Report Card Committee. Farrell was also involved with the Annual Author’s Night when students shared their own stories, songs, and poems.

She organized school and community resources to landscape and beautify the area in front of Waterboro Elementary School. She helped organize and was the first director of the Waterboro Recreation Program.

Farrell partnered with another Waterboro Elementary School teacher in authoring a successful grant-writing project with the UNUM Corporation. The grant brought a published children’s author/illustrator to Waterboro Elementary School to conduct workshops on teaching and creating children’s literature.

With the assistance of the second-grade staff, Farrell also organized and started the yearly second-grade field trip to three Portland area lighthouses.

Farrell loved to dress up and act the parts of many characters from children’s books such as Viola Swamp, Mrs. Jeepers, Sparky the Fire Dog, etc. She said she would miss the enjoyment.

“I had as much fun as the students,” she said.

Ashley Guay, one of Farrell’s former students, wrote a testimony of Farrell’s teaching ability. “It was in second-grade that I knew someday I would become a teacher. This may seem like a very young age to be planning for your future, but I just knew. I knew that when I grew up I wanted to be like my teacher, Mrs. Farrell. She had a heart of gold and was my role model and inspiration. There was not a day that she did not have a smile on her face, and she was always coming up with fun activities for us to do,” she wrote.

Guay wrote that she learned a lot from Farrell that year. She wrote that Farrell used a poem, “Me I AM,” to teach her the most important lesson she learned that year: to be herself and love herself.

“Then in high school, I had the opportunity to work with her two to three times a week,” she wrote. “This was one of the best experiences that I have had. I learned a lot from her. By just observing her class for a day you can see what an excellent teacher she is. Mrs. Farrell has always been there for me. Her dedication, love, and kindness to her students are what make her an amazing teacher. I would like to thank her for being such a wonderful and caring teacher and for inspiring me to pursue the profession of teaching. She was an excellent teacher who I am sure will be missed by many.”

Farrell previously worked in special education at the Narragansett School in Gorham. Farrell said she is not sure of her future plans. She would like to continue to work with children in a different capacity.

This article was submitted by Mary Doyle, the public relations coordinator for SAD 57.