HCCSC announced its annual Primary and Secondary Teachers of the Year during the district awards ceremony Thursday morning. Andrews Elementary School Art Teacher Annette Little was named as the Primary Teacher of the Year, while Huntington North High School Radio and Television Teacher Nick Altman earned the Secondary Teacher of the Year designation.
The award is the second of its kind for Little, who has taught since 1992 and taught within HCCSC since 1993, as she also claimed the honor in the 2002-03 school year. Little holds degrees in the education field from Ball State University, Indiana Wesleyan University and the University of Saint Francis.
Little serves her community in countless ways, as the Andrews PTO, Bookworm Mobile Library, Elementary Basketball and Cross Country Teams, Huntington County Literacy Coalition, LaFontaine Arts Council, Meal Ministry and Open Door, Operation Warm Your Heart Club, Robotics Club, School Arts Club, School Improvement Teams, Student Academic Teams, Student Council, Yearbook and YMCA Summer Camp have all greatly benefitted from her time volunteering.
Little prides herself in engaging students in their education, providing a motivating and positive culture in and outside of the classroom and stressing the importance of student artwork in the community. Little accomplishes these goals through the intentional fostering of relationships with those around her on a daily basis.
“Mrs. Little is an incredible elementary visual arts teacher,” said HCCSC Teacher of the Year Committee Chair Lynn Brown. “Since 1993, the entire community has benefited from her students’ art. Her students showcase their work on holiday coffee cup sleeves at JJ Java’s, the walls of The Ice Vault, clay signs used in the Andrews School Community Garden and scarfs created by students for those in need in the ‘Warm Your Heart’ initiative.”
Brown also shared a quote from a parent about why Little was deserving of the Primary Teacher of the Year recognition.
“She has taken her students on an adventure around the world and a learning tour of the arts. Mrs. Little is a very creative, inspiring teacher and person.”
Altman, a graduate of Huntington North High School, has taught radio and television classes at his alma mater for the last 14 years. After graduating from Purdue University Fort Wayne in 2004, Altman entered into the media world for three years, including two years as a staff writer at The Herald-Press in Huntington, before returning to Huntington North to lead the next generation of media professionals.
Like Little, Altman also donates countless hours of his time bettering those around him. Outside of his classroom duties, Altman serves as the Radio Station Manager of WVSH 91.9 FM, bringing live broadcasts of Vikings athletics to fans and community members. Altman is also the Television Productions Adviser at Huntington North, leading HNHS Media to produce visual content at countless events.
Two of Altman’s guiding principles in education are giving his students a number of opportunities to succeed and using their mistakes as valuable teaching experiences, enabling them to further their development in media.
“Mr. Altman is exceptionally dedicated to his alma mater, Huntington North High School,” Brown said. “He spends countless hours ensuring that people near and far can follow their Vikings through WVSH, the voice of the Vikings, and the livestream of sporting events, concerts and graduation ceremonies. Mr. Altman affords his students opportunities that are not common for students growing up in the heartland, such as a trip to New York, where students have the chance to talk with professionals and see behind the scene at national newscasts and sporting events.”
Altman’s ability to develop the talent his students have and the impact he makes on them can best be summarized by two of his former students.
“Not only does Mr. Altman set us up for success in the real world, but he also prepared us and helped us get into some prestigious broadcasting schools.” “Without his help, there is no chance I would’ve been able to get into the program necessary at Ball State to earn my degree, nor would I have been ready to step into my job on day one as prepared as I was.”
Altman and Little will represent HCCSC in the 2022 Indiana Teacher of the Year nomination pool, as will 2019-20 HCCSC Teachers of the Year Mary Gradeless of Roanoke Elementary School and Angela Grube of Crestview Middle School, as the 2021 Indiana Teacher of the Year recognition was awarded to all teachers in Indiana in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.