Jessica Lewis Bobo, a 2004 Early Childhood graduate of the TCU College of Education, has been named this year’s Fort Worth ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. She teaches first grade at Westpark Elementary School and was chosen from a field of 46 applicants. She will go on to compete for Region XI Teacher of the Year later this month, and if she wins, will compete at the state level.

As part of her prize package, Jessica was given the use of a new Lexus for the summer, dinner at Del Frisco’s, tickets to a Texas Rangers game, and a night’s stay at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel compliments of Sewell Lexus. In addition, she was also given a monetary award of $5,000 from HEB Central Market.

Jessica also won Teacher of the Year honors her second year of teaching when she worked at Elder Elementary in the Joshua ISD.

Mother of two young children, Jessica is currently working on her master’s degree at the University of Texas at Arlington in Education Leadership and Policy Studies. Upon graduation, she plans on pursuing her doctorate degree from TCU in Curriculum Studies. When the school year begins in August, Jessica will begin her new job as an Elementary Math Curriculum Specialist for FWISD.

In her own words … Mrs. Bobo speaks about teaching as a career

“If you want to be a teacher because of the summers off and the money, then do not even waste your time majoring in education. When a teacher has that type of mentality, it blatantly shows and rubs off on the students.
If you are not passionate and invested in your teaching, then in turn the students will not be passionate or invested in their learning. On the other hand, if you are willing to enrich the gifted, scaffold the struggling, empower the shy, or just simply give a hug, bring a smile, and even a glimmer of hope and joy to a student who has low self-esteem, not to mention wipe away tears or button britches of the younger ones all within the first hour of being at school…then yes, you are truly blessed to be a teacher.”

What qualities do teachers need to succeed?
“Have an open heart and open arms to each child no matter their race, religion, learning tier, behavior stereotype or socio-economic status. Please have the independence to form your own opinion instead of having others tarnish the student’s character. It is essential to understand that even the most privileged of students have struggles and the most impoverished students have talents. Do not ever throw away a child because they are difficult; those are the students who need you the most.”