Daryn Polanco is a staple at Huebner Elementary School. Before she became an assistant principal, she taught Gifted and Talented (GT) students for 13 years. At times she taught the same group of students from kindergarten through fifth grade. Polanco would be the first to tell you the bonds created in the classroom don’t fade over the years. In fact, they grow stronger.
The Class of 2020 holds a special place in her heart. Polanco felt compelled to do something special for the five Churchill High School students who selected her as their honoree at this year’s Summa Cum Laude ceremony.
“I created amazing bonds with my students when I was able to teach most of them for six years in a row,” said Polanco. “I’m always blown away by the fact that students still think of me when they get to select the teacher that had the biggest impact on their educational career.”
The Giver by Lois Lowry was the driving novel for Polanco’s fifth-grade students, along with two additional companion books. Polanco has followed Lowry on Twitter for years and noticed the award-winning author tweeting about a book being sent to her to sign. This inspired Polanco to reach out to Lowry with an idea of her own.
“I decided to reach out and see if I could mail her the novels I had purchased and have her sign them for the kids,” said Polanco. “To my amazement, she agreed! I wrote her a letter with the package explaining how much this group of students meant to me along with pictures of them with their Summa write-ups.”
In addition to the autographed books, Polanco received a heartfelt letter from Lowry and autographed copies of her new novel. On Wednesday, June 24, Polanco presented Churchill graduates with their signed copies of Lowry’s work. Polanco hopes this gesture reminds them of the impact they’ve made on her life.
