Teacher Assistant Named GCS Employee of the Month
Teacher Assistant Named GCS Employee of the Month
Megan Hamilton saved the life of a student who was choking
Greensboro, N.C. – Megan Hamilton, a kindergarten teacher assistant at Northern Elementary, didn’t know fourth grader Cade Rickman until recently. That all changed on Sept. 21, when the Northern Elementary teacher assistant saved the fourth grader’s life, giving her a special bond with Cade and the title of November GCS Employee of the Month.
Cade was choking on a hot dog and couldn’t breathe or speak. He approached Hamilton, who was assisting with lunch duty at the time, motioning to his throat. She jumped into action, performed the Heimlich maneuver and dislodged the food so that Cade could breathe again.
That alone is enough to earn Hamilton the title of Employee of the Month, but she also happens to be an outstanding teacher assistant, according to her principal, assistant principal and classroom teacher, all of whom submitted nominations on her behalf.
“Megan Hamilton is a teacher assistant who goes above and beyond the expectations asked of her each day,” wrote teacher Amy Schoppa. “She is more of a second teacher in my classroom and spends hours each day actually instructing children and helping them to grow not only in academics, but also in character. When a call comes that help is needed around the school in a different capacity, Megan is always willing to step up and go wherever necessary. She has great instincts and a family and school community that are very thankful that she was able to make such a difference on this day. Indeed, she makes a huge impact on the lives of others every day.”
Hamilton received a $50 gift card courtesy of the Greensboro Jaycees. During the month of November, her photo will hang at the district’s central offices, at Northern Elementary and at the Greensboro Jaycees office.
