NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Jahana Hayes, a history teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury, started her reign as 2016 National Teacher of the Year on June 1.
Hayes grew up in the projects in Waterbury, and became a teenaged Mom, but even with a child, with the help of her family, she persevered and got a college education. That hard work and 
compassion for her students has lead to the highest of honors. She just received her crystal apple award at the White House and got to introduce the Commander-In-Chief.
“Barack Obama, it’s like slow motion, I knew that I would introduce the President which is different than in years past, generally the president introduces the teacher so this year for some reason they decided to change the program I knew that, but right at that moment it just sunk in and said oh my god I’m about to introduce the president, not just in my head, like for real, I’m going to introduce the president, in the White House, in the White House,” said Hayes.
“I was born to be a teacher, it’s who I am, it’s the way I’m wired, I just have so much passion, I believe it, I believe in what teachers do, I believe in the impact that we make and on purpose, I find the positive, you know in my students, in their situation and I think there is so much power in that,” said Hayes.
As the National Teacher of the Year, Hayes will not teacher this year, but will instead travel the world to make her impact on education globally.
