CEDAR CITY — One of Genevieve Draper’s most memorable, humorous moments as a substitute teacher was on her first day of teaching; it involved whispering and a spider.
Draper, a substitute teacher in the Iron County School District, was in the middle of introducing herself when she suddenly heard students whispering. They were saying she had a spider on her head.
“And I was like, ‘Is this them trying to be mean to the sub?’” she said. “But no, I really had a spider crawling on the back of my head.”
Draper has come a long way since then. Recently, she was recognized and awarded the title of Utah Substitute Teacher of the Year from Kelly Educational Staffing. She started substituting in September, and although she has a degree in history, she often finds herself substituting for math classes.
“I would just double check the math the night before, and it was a lot of fun,” she said. “I realized that you learn a lot more than you think you did.”
Draper prefers substituting for high school students, she said, but she has worked in all grade levels, from first grade on up. She even spent a month as a long-term substitute for Cedar City High School.
In order for substitute teachers to be eligible for Utah Substitute Teacher of the Year award, they need to be recommended by school leaders and have strong performance records, according to a news release issued by Kelly Educational Staffing.
“Substitute teachers work incredibly hard to ensure students are gaining the skills, knowledge and confidence to be successful in school and beyond,” Brigitte White, staffing supervisor for Kelly Educational Staffing in Cedar City, said in the news release.
Winning the award meant she made a difference as a substitute teacher, Draper said.
“Teachers know that they could trust me,” she said.
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