'She will change the world': Austin-East's Melody Hawkins honored for student-centered approach

Austin-East Magnet High School Assistant Administrator Melody Hawkins sees her role as someone who can be "that village that helps to bring the students to where they need to be for success." Sometimes she has doubled as a mother, aunt or big sister to ensure that her students feel valued. 

That dedication is being celebrated in a big way. Hawkins is the Southeast regional winner of the National University Teacher Award.

Hawkins is recognized for engaging, empowering and motivating her students while creating an inclusive environment. The award honors educators who use social emotional learning in the classroom.

It's a natural fit — Hawkins said she's used that method before she even knew what it was called. It's important to recognize students' needs in the moment, she said.

"Many times we find that we are doing things and we mean the best, but we don't always think about how this might impact our students on in the long run," Hawkins told Knox News. "So something as simple as allowing students to have voice and choice and how they decide to complete a task, that has a great impact on students in the long run."

Hawkins was a science teacher at Vine Middle Magnet School for six years before taking an administrator position this school year. During her virtual acceptance speech, she talked about shifting to fit whatever role her students needed that day.

The award is a "timely blessing," she said. 

"We all see the exhaustion that not only our educators have felt, but also where our students are, they're tired and they're trying to figure out how to get back in the swing of school and back to the responsibilities and the structure of school.

"So social emotional learning really is, it can be, and it is a key component to making sure that our students can have access to equitable experiences as they readjust to getting back into the classroom and the structure of school."

The flipping back and forth to virtual learning during COVID-19 plus quarantines made it hard to staff schools. Now, those closures are very rare and some stability has resumed. 

The National University Teacher Award honors the top teacher in each region with $10,0000 and a full scholarship to earn a master's degree in social emotional learning at National University, according to a press release. The program takes a minimum of 10 months to complete. 

Hawkins already has a bachelor's degree and two masters degrees but she said she is excited to learn more.

She is one of five regional winners. They will compete for the national award with a $50,000 prize. That will be announced at a future date.

Changing students' lives

Hawkins' colleagues are already confident that her approach to teaching is making a difference in students' lives. Her former boss said she is setting a strong example for students at Vine and Austin-East. 

"It was always high expectations with caring for our students and the example that she gave as being a teacher of color, a Black female science teacher is going to cause ripple effects for years to come," Vine Middle School principal Desirée Jones said during the virtual event. "And so I'm very glad that she went just down the street with our kids because I'm an alum of Austin-East and she is amazing and she will change the world because of her teaching."

Hawkins has focused her attention on making sure that students of color see people like themselves as teachers and principals. Knox County Schools wants to recruit and retain educators of color and is rolling out programs to create a pipeline of local students and adults who could become teachers.

“We've got the research, we have the data, we have the people, we're developing the momentum,” Hawkins said earlier this year. “Now we need the action. We’re at a good place for that now.”

Last school year across the district’s 88 brick-and-mortar schools, Black students made up about 17% of the student population but Black certified educators represent just 4% among the group.

Honoring her work

It's not the first time Hawkins has been in the spotlight.  

Before becoming a teacher, Hawkins served in AmeriCorps and also worked in the lab science field. In her second year of teaching, her students won a national competition and the experiment they designed was carried into space by NASA. She also launched a sixth grade virtual summer boost camp, according to the press release.

Hawkins was also a 2020 Knox.biz 40 Under 40 winner. She was nominated for the way she dedicates her time to supporting students even on weekends and summer breaks and the way that she takes on leadership roles to affect change in education. 

"She has helped to really, I think, elevate in some areas the thinking and the expectations for what we believe and know that our kids are capable of doing. And she is a walking, shining example of what possibilities are," Austin-East Principal Tammi Campbell said during the virtual event. 

Hawkins isn't sure what she'll do with the award money. 

"I'm still in that space where I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that I am one of five teachers in this country that has been able to accept this award and to be amongst the others, listening to their stories, it's amazing.

"There's so many other people who are inspiring this generation of students. So I'm still in shock that I get to be one of the five that are acknowledged for it."

Read more about Melody Hawkins: 

Hawkins' path to teaching:40 Under 40: Melody Hawkins is invested in the success of her students

Inspiring students to pursue teaching:Knox County Schools wants more educators of color. What can it do to make that happen?

A new group of administrators:After tragic year, Austin-East Magnet High School adds four more administrators. Here's why