Petey Menz ’11
News Editor
On Aug. 27, Michael Aitkenhead, AP environmental teacher, won the Teacher of the Year Award for Westport Public Schools, meaning he can now compete for this award at the state and national level.
“When I heard I was nominated I was really shocked,” Aitkenhead said. “It’s something that I thought maybe would occur after thirty years of teaching. I was definitely humbled and honored.”
Aitkenhead’s philosophy of teaching focuses on trying to get his students to apply the facts they learn in his class to their own lives, a lesson that has particular relevance in his environmental classes.
Even though he has won this award at a young age, Aitkenhead does not intend to stop trying to improve.
“This last year has been a very exciting year in terms of environmental events in town—we had Ecofest, the garden in the school, and we have more planned, including a possible Ecotech class,” Aitkenhead said. “Hopefully this award is the start of bigger and better things.”