Mrs. Charmaine Corrie finalist for 2018 Indiana Teacher of the Year

Kelly Titus, Features Editor

Extension from the August issue.

Q: Why did you choose this career path?

A: I was an interior design major at West Virginia University, but after realizing how competitive of a career it is, I got my teaching degree as a backup plan. When I student taught, I fell in love with teaching and never looked back on the possibility of being an interior designer.

Q: Were there any classes that inspired you to teach better?

A: In 8th grade, I had a history teacher named Mrs. Kleinstiver, and she made learning fun, and the class competitive in the best way. Another teacher that made my academic career so much better was Mrs. Hannah, who taught human physiology. She encouraged us to enter the science fair, and our project went all the way to state. We calculated the biorhythms of the basketball team and tracked each players performance based on their biorhythm chart. It was very interesting and gave me more confidence in presenting in front of others.

Q: To what credit do you owe your achievements thus far?

A: Having a very supportive administration has been a big factor in building a strong and successful program. I also receive so much support from the faculty. Whenever we need or want something for our classes, we can always count on them to contribute, and they always do. And I wouldn’t be nearly as successful in my program if it weren’t for the other two teachers in my department, Mrs. Allen and Mrs. Payne. They’re incredibly supportive of everything I do. We all work well together and support one another, and that’s key to a successful program.

Q: What was your proudest moment in the classroom?

A: Probably the first time culinary arts students catered the Hall of Fame banquet. It’s a very prestigious event for New Albany. It’s a huge responsibility and the students were very professional and hard-working. This was one of the most challenging events I had ever committed to. It took a lot of planning and I was extremely nervous about it. We worked several shifts to prep the food. We offered full service, and students plated and served every guest. We also provided beverage service. Watching the students perform every task flawlessly was an amazing moment. It made me realize students are capable of doing anything you believe that they can. If I give them support and confidence, they can do it! We now cater many events at New Albany and I’m always so proud of all the work that goes into putting it all together. The little moments make me proud, too, when students are being kind to one another, watching them laugh and truly enjoying my class.

What others say about Mrs. Corrie: 

“Mrs. Corrie goes over and beyond for her students. She provides students opportunities they might not have otherwise. When teaching interior design she took her students on a field trip to see her house flip and then allowed them to help her make design choices.  Talk about making curriculum relevant to real life! She has different types of food from around the world catered because she knows many of our students have not had opportunities to try sushi, authentic Mexican, and Italian.” – Mrs. Kelly Payne

“My favorite part of her class is the projects we do. I think they give you a chance to be creative, and have fun while doing work. She’s really helpful and overall a great teacher.” – Sophomore Maggie Huber

“Mrs. Corrie does so much with and for students outside of the school day.  On Saturdays, she can often be found volunteering with a group of NAHS students at a local soup kitchens, or gathering items for and organizing the Cinderella Shop so that students can rent formalwear for dances.  Mrs. Corrie also participates in events with the Bulldog Scholars like after school picnics and events.  Mrs. Corrie’s dedication to our Bulldogs goes beyond the school day to provide them with experiences and services that leave a lasting impact.” – Assistant Principal Mrs. Jamie Crick

“She’s amazing at teaching us to cook, and her teaching style and the way she helps her students allows us to succeed at just that.” – Sophomore Ariel Gentry