Call her a negativity blocker, Michelle Joy has been recognized for tackling mental health issues in her classroom.
Fourth-grade Helmsburg Elementary teacher Michelle Joy has been named a top 10 finalist for the Classroom Quarterbacks award from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Indianapolis Colts.
“Michelle Joy exemplifies everything we look for in honoring a Classroom QB,” said Ande Sadtler Colts Director of Community Impact. “Her dedication in the classroom during the school day is evident, but the time and energy she gives to her students and her community outside the school walls is what truly sets her apart.”
The Classroom Quarterbacks program is a nomination based platform facilitated by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Indianapolis Colts with the purpose of recognizing school staff including teachers, administrators, principals and janitors who goes above and beyond for their schools and communities, according to Senior Marketing Coordinator for Indiana Medicaid Marketing Team Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Lauren Welch.
“It is really cool hearing about their impact,” Welch said. “Being a teacher is a thankless job, just to see their impact recognized is incredible. School employees do so much, even coming out of their pocket for school supplies to make sure their students have what they need. So we got together to think about what we could do to help. With brainstorming we came up with this program collaboratively. Anthem wants to support education programs that provide impact programs around indiana.”
The finalists were selected based on their involvement and positive impact in schools and communities.
“I don’t think being in the top 10 will affect my teaching methods moving forward,” Joy said. “I love teaching, and I love finding ways to serve my community. I love Brown County and I’m so grateful God allowed us to call this place home for most of our lives. I’m motivated to do my best because of the love for this amazing place. It was so kind to be nominated and then selected for the top 10, but truly there are thousands of teachers across the state who could have easily been in the top 10. I count it an honor, but I know that I am in the company of thousands of amazing educators across our state. I just so happened to be selected this year.”
Joy received a $100 Amazon gift card, two tickets to the first regular season home game of the Indianapolis Colts and Colts merchandise as a finalist.
“I will use the $100 to buy supplies for my room,” Joy said. “Teachers spend so much money on their classrooms for parties and all the fun extras. I love to buy stickers for graded work. I love to buy things to use in my classroom auctions. The money will go to good use. And, I’m excited to go to the first regular season home game! I hope to inspire my students to always work hard and give their best whether or not people notice. It feels good to be noticed, but we don’t do it for recognition. This is a big lesson in school because so often rewards, extrinsic motivation, are used to encourage students to achieve. I do it myself in the classroom because who doesn’t love to earn a bonus when you work hard? But, I also want my kids to strive for excellence because it feels good to do your best.”
Joy was selected to be a part of the top 10 because of her focus on helping kids to realize their full potential as well as being a mentor.
“She focuses on challenging kids with things such as, if they’re having a bad day here’s how to work through that,” Welch said. “She implements specific exercises that hopefully they take beyond the classroom, home and into their daily lives. Her students navigate trauma and dysfunction that might stem from substance abuse at home. She has personal experience, so to help her students work through that is an amazing testimony that not everyone may give their time to.”
More information about the program and next year’s campaign can be found on the Colts’ website at www.colts.com/fans/contests/anthem-classroomqbs.
