Sadie Daniels ’12

College can often feel like a full-time job, and for students who already have an occupation, the road to a degree can be extremely turbulent — especially if that occupation is teaching. As a seventh-grade math teacher at Northwest Guilford Middle School earning her master’s degree in secondary math at UNC Greensboro, Sadie Daniels ’12 is currently championing multiple classrooms at once.

“Trying to meet the demands of a classroom teacher and pursuing an advanced degree has challenged me in new ways,” stated Sadie. “I previously have always offered tutoring after school for my students one day a week, but I can’t this year and balance the graduate workload. Teaching is a very rewarding job but requires long hours between contacting parents, grading, planning differentiated lessons, and numerous required meetings. I’ve had to make some tough choices and prioritize so that my students don’t suffer, but I also earn good grades in my courses.”

Sadie immediately went into teaching after graduating UNCG in 2012, and she was awarded Rookie Teacher of the Year her first year teaching at Asheboro City Schools. Now, with the goal of becoming a math coach, she has returned to the University with hopes to one day help other teachers improve their practice.

“I chose to return to UNCG because I had such a great experience during undergrad with knowledgeable and caring professors,” said Sadie. “Compared to other colleagues, I felt like UNCG better prepared me for the classroom with a large quantity of internship experience and relevant curriculum.”

Coincidentally, Sadie’s dedication to her field and her ambitions to improve the profession align perfectly with that of Esther Cobb Pinnix, honoree of the Esther and John Pinnix Teachers Scholarship Endowment, which Sadie was recently awarded. Esther was an active member of the National Educator’s Association and the North Carolina Association of Educators and a charter member of the North Carolina Psi Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international honor sorority for women educators. Established by John Pinnix Jr., the Esther and John Pinnix Teachers Scholarship Endowment is specifically for public school teachers in the state.

“Scholarships are crucial for me and other students because, as we know, teaching is not a high-paying profession,” stated Sadie. “We need the highest quality educators to give students the best instruction possible. If we cannot afford to get advanced degrees, then not only will our current students suffer but our future as well. When people invest in teachers, they are investing in the future of our state and country.”

Story by Brittany Cameron, Donor Relations