By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
CENTREVILLE — A local teacher is in the running for a special award from a major sports team in the state for her commitment to her students.
Alyssa Henneman, a special education teacher at Centreville Elementary School, is one of three finalists for the Best in Class Teacher of the Year award from the Detroit Red Wings, an annual award given by the National Hockey League team to recognize Michigan teachers “who change the lives of millions of children every day, inside and outside the classroom.”
The program’s grand prize is a $5,000 grant to be used for the teacher’s classroom to purchase educational materials, as well as a meet and greet with a Detroit Red Wings player after a game and a framed personalized Red Wings jersey. The winner is determined via an online vote, and voting is open until April 3. The winner will be announced April 11.
“It would be very exciting for my classroom,” Henneman said in an interview Tuesday. “We would be able to get some of the things that I don’t already have for my kids within their classroom.”
Henneman has been with Centreville Public Schools for three years, and has taught special education previously at Constantine, White Pigeon, Elkhart, Ind., and at the Pathfinder Center. She said what makes teaching special education students special for her is that she gives those students a voice.
“I’m working with the kids that don’t always have a voice. I’m working with the kids who need somebody in their corner and making sure that they have somebody to advocate for them,” Henneman said. “It’s everything. It’s make or break, whether or not they survive in the school.”
According to her profile on the Red Wings website, Henneman is described as a teacher “whose compassion and dedication make a lasting impact on her students,” and works to support students with special needs using “personalized strategies, creative lessons, and a nurturing environment to help them succeed academically and grow in confidence.”
Henneman has also been involved with Special Olympics, helping establish Centreville Elementary School as a Unified Champion School with the organization, promoting inclusion through unified sports and school-wide initiatives.
“When we started out, we only went bowling every other month, and now I’ve taken two groups of kids to Grand Rapids to compete, and I’ll be taking another one next month,” Henneman said about her Special Olympics activities at the school. “Part of being Unified is it’s gen-ed peers partnering with students with disabilities, and so they all have partners, and I’ve gotten more peers wanting to join as we go along. I’ve also gotten my students themselves interested in sports; one girl told her mom recently after flag football this fall, ‘Mom, I’m an athlete now,’ so it was super sweet.”
Henneman was originally nominated for the award by her husband, Chris, and was selected as a finalist by the Red Wings from one of three groups of 25 nominees each from across the state. She said being nominated and selected as part of the group of 25 was a surprise to her, especially moreso when she found out she was a finalist while attending a Red Wings game in Detroit honoring the 25 nominees after she found out via email from the team about the program.
“When I got there, they pulled me aside as I was walking in, and I was like, ‘Uh-oh, I’m in trouble,’” Henneman recalled. “And they told me that I was the top of that group of teachers.”
Back at the elementary school, she said Principal Dennis Kirby and Special Education Administrator Meredith Spicer were excited for her when they got wind of the news, despite Henneman’s humble reluctance to being too much in the spotlight.
“When I went to the initial game, my special ed director was bragging to everybody about it, and I was just like, yeah, it’s fine, cool, it’s not a big deal,” Henneman said. “I am a rather private person, so I didn’t share really until I had to; I don’t really care for all the recognition, to be quite honest, I just want what’s best for the kiddos.”
However, despite her not liking to be in the spotlight, she added it “feels good” to be a finalist. If she wins the grand prize, she said she has at least a couple of initial ideas for what the grant money could be used for for her classroom.
“Right now, the big thing that we need is just more access to stuff for kids who are in behavior crisis. So, whether that be fidgets, sensory objects, and stuff like that, just getting stuff like that for them,” Henneman said.
Even if she does not win, Henneman will be receiving a $1,000 grant as a finalist to be used for her classroom, and an autographed Red Wings jersey.
Kirby praised Henneman’s work and shared his excitement for her being a finalist.
“It’s well deserved. She’s such an advocate for kids and for teaching our kids, especially those with special needs, fostering independence in them,” Kirby said. “From my standpoint, just her heart to go above and beyond for these kids shows in things like bringing unified sports through the Special Olympics to Centreville. That wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for her. … Really proud of the commitment she’s shown not just to the district, but to the kids as well.”
Centreville Public Schools Superintendent Chad Brady echoed those sentiments.
“Any time you’re talking about anything associated with a professional sports team, especially one like the Detroit Red Wings, I think that’s quite a recognition. It’s well-earned; Alyssa is a phenomenal special education teacher, and represents well the numerous staff members and teachers we have at Centreville Public Schools by way of putting kids first and putting forth their best effort each and every day on behalf of students,” Brady said. “We’re excited and proud she’s a finalist for the award.”
The other two finalists for the award are Rachel Krieg, a ninth grade English teacher at Ithaca Junior/Senior High School, and Danielle McDaniel, a life skills teacher at the Burger Baylor School for Autism in Inkster.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
