BACK WITH MORE NEWS OF THE DAY. >> Karen: HERE AT HOME, WE LOVE
HONORING LOCAL TEACHERS AND LOVE
A GOOD SURPRISE!
SO TODAY, THE TROY SCHOOL
DISTRICT REVEALED THE TEACHER OF
THE YEAR, AND OUR PAULA TUTMAN
WAS THERE FOR THE BIG REVEAL AND
WHAT WENT ALONG FOR THE RIDE AS
THE TEACHER WENT OUT TO PICK AN
AMAZING SURPRISE!
AMAZING SURPRISE! >> Paula: THE EXCITEMENT STARTED
TO BUILD BEFORE 11:30 AT TROY
COLLEGE AND CAREER HIGH SCHOOL.
>> THIS IS MY FAVORITE DAY OF
THE NEAR.
THE NEAR. >> Paula: A CEREMONY FOR THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TROY SCHOOL
DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
HIS NAME IS JEFF RAINWATER, AND
ONCE IT HIT HIM, HIS FIRST
EXPRESSION OF GREATNESS WAS TO
EXPRESS HOW GREAT EVERYONE ELSE
IS.
IS. >> ERR SINGLE COLLEAGUE I WORK
FOR IS DESERVING, HOW YOU TAKE A
KID IN FOR THANKSGIVING OR TAKE
KIDS OUT TO LUNCH.
MISS GEE, SAVED A KID LAST YEAR
AND HELPED A KID GET HIS
CITIZENSHIP.
CITIZENSHIP. >> LOOK AT THE PICTURE ON THE
BOARD.
BOARD. >> Paula: THIS IS AN ALTERNATIVE
SCHOOL, PART OF WHY HE LOVES IT.
>> THEY COME TO US WITH TRAUMA
WHETHER IT’S EMOTIONAL OR
PHYSICAL, SOMETIMES LOW
SELF-ESTEEM AND GIVEN UP ON
ACADEMICS AND THEMSELVES
SOMETIMES.
SOMETIMES. >> Paula: BECAUSE HE’S NOT JUST
TEACHING TEXTBOOK STUFF, HE’S
TEACHING SELF-ESTEEM.
TEACHING SELF-ESTEEM. CHRIS HAS FELT UNLOVED ALL HIS
LIFE.
LIFE. BUT THEN MR. RAINWATER GOT AHOLD
OF HIM.
OF HIM. >> I WAS IN TROUBLE AND
STRUGGLING WITH MY FAMILY NOT
FEEDING ME.
FEEDING ME. I WAS STUCK IN A HOME AND I WAS
NOT ALLOWED TO GO ANYWHERE.
I WAS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR FIVE
YEARS, AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO
THIS SCHOOL, HE WAS ONE OF THE
TEACHERS THAT WELCOMED ME.
HE MAKES ME FEEL SUCCESSFUL BY
MAKING ME THINK, MAKING ME PAY
ATTENTION TO WHAT I’M DOING.
AND HE MAKES IT INTERESTING.
>> Paula: HE WAS TAKEN TO SCHOOL
WHEN HIS STUDENTS FOUND OUT THAT
PART OF THE SWAG IS HE GETS TO
CHOOSE A FREE TWO-YEAR LEASE
FROM A LONG LIST OF VEHICLES
FROM SUBURBAN COLLECTION, HE GOT
SOME HEAVY TUTORING.
>> GET THE JEEP.
>> GET THIS ONE.
>> Paula: BUICK, CHRYSLER,
HYUNDAI.
HYUNDAI. >> THEY’RE NOT GONNA GIVEN ME A
HELLCAT.
HELLCAT. >> Paula: A HALL PASS FOR THE
DAY TO GO SHOPPING.
>> OH, THAT’S NICE!
IT’S MANLY.
IT’S MANLY. IT’S A MANLY PICKUP TRUCK.
WHEN WE DO THIS, WE ARE MEN NOW.
[LAUGHTER]
[LAUGHTER] >> Paula: HE CHOSE THE RAM.
LISTEN, THE OTHER GREAT THING
ABOUT THIS IS THAT BY BEING
TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN TROY, HIS
NAME IS PUT IN THE POOL FOR
POTENTIAL NOD AS OAKLAND COUNTY
TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IN TALKING
TO THIS TEACHER, I THINK HE
ALREADY FEELS LIKE HE’S A WINNER
BECAUSE HE MAKES HIS STUDENTS
FEEL LIKE WINNERS, AND ALSO THE
NEW RAM.
NEW RAM. HE’LL BE DRIVING IN TOMORROW.
FAVORITE LINE OF THE DAY,
THEY’RE NOT GONNA GIVE ME THE
HELLCAT.
HELLCAT. >> Karen: I HAVE TO GIVE HIM
CREDIT FOR HIS CHOICE.
YOU’VE DONE THE STORIES MANY,
MANY YEARS AND HE’S CREDITED
WITH GIVING THE KIDS SELF-STEAM.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK MAKES HIM
SO SPECIAL?
SO SPECIAL? I KNOW YOU SPENT TIME TALKING TO
HIM TODAY.
HIM TODAY. >> Paula: IT’S THE WAY THE
STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT HIM.
WE DIDN’T EVEN TALK ABOUT THE
PERSONAL LETTERS THEY HAVE
WRITTEN TO HIM ABOUT HOW THEY
HAVE HELPED HIM.
HE HAS REACHED IN DEEP AND
TOUCHED THEM DEEPLY AND IT
SIMPLY SHOWED.
SIMPLY SHOWED. >> Karen: THANK YOU FOR SHARING
THIS STORY.
THIS STORY. >>> STILL AHEAD --
>> Paula: THEY’RE NOT GONNA GIVE