Teachers Who Go Above and Beyond the Job

Connecting Kids Makes A Difference

Teacher and Coach Ben Rings was featured in People magazine for his amazing care for his students. Ring teaches at Pine-Richland High School in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. Rings created a “peer buddies” program where mainstream kids mentor those with special needs. The program has grown from 30 mentors to 132 mentors. People magazine wrote, ““He has created opportunities for friendships that, in the past, would have never existed,” says principal John Pietrusinski. Andrew’s mom, Mary Schnepp explained that “Ben teaches kids to look past their differences.” Rings’ program has proven to be beneficial for both the mainstream and the special needs kids.

The Teacher Who Saved A Girl From Choking

Kathy Teders had twenty-one years of teaching experience when her first grade student went into distress. Layla Garrett began choking on a piece of hard candy that was lodged in her throat. Unable to talk or make noise, she grabbed her teacher’s arm and yanked. Mrs. Teders noticed Layla’s face turning red and told the class to move, that the little girl was choking. Teders immediately performed the Heimlich manuever, once, twice… nothing was working. Layla was now flailing around as she began to lose consciousness. Teders tried the Hemleich again, and this time, it worked: the candy flew out! Layla’s parents expressed their gratitude for the teacher’s quick actions to Fox News, “I don’t even know how to put it into words how grateful I am for her.”