It was in middle school when art teacher Chana Jayme made a choice that would significantly impact her life.

“I had a teacher that went [to Notre Dame] and in seventh grade I said ‘I’m gonna go there,’” Jayme said. “I took all the right classes and did all the right things, [did] well on the SAT and ACT, and [was] involved in a sport, involved in community service and leadership; I did everything I could [to get in].”

Jayme set her goal five years before even graduating high school and accomplished it. After graduating from Notre Dame, she began her teaching career.

“I was a substitute at first, teaching art to the kids after school,” Jayme said. “The principal at whose elementary school I was at decided I’d make a good art teacher and he convinced me to teach art at the middle school and it just went from there…middle school to high school.”

She now has 16 years of teaching experience, with the last three being at Harmon. Jayme teaches her students more than just art; she teaches them how to make a difference in the world through their art or with their actions. Because of this, Jayme was announced as Harmon’s Teacher of the Year.

“Leadership, responsibility and maturity are a few values Mrs. Jayme has instilled in me,” sophomore Jordan Jakeman said. “[I am] learning how to become a stronger leader with her guidance and [an] accountable individual.”

Encouraging students with her happiness and outgoing personality makes her stand out from other teachers.

“She always gave me words of encouragement,” junior Alyssa Sage said. “I guess you can say, always gave me ways to improve what I was doing just to make it better.”

Before or after school her doors are always open for students who need help even if it’s not art related. She is willing to lend a hand to her students and put in the effort for them.

“I’m constantly learning new things in art,” Jayme said. “Constantly going to my classes so I can make sure I teach them all the newest stuff.”

Just last year Jayme took over StuCo at Harmon and has made it a priority that the school becomes a more positive environment for the students.

“She is very active, her students are very active,” Main StuCo adviser Allison Stamey said. “They helped the whole three campuses a lot. They plan things – princess week, they plan the 12 days of Christmas, [etc.].”

Jayme is very appreciative about being Teacher of the Year.

“It’s more than an honor [winning teacher of the year],” Jayme said. “I like to interact with kids and do my thing. [It] means a lot that other teachers and other staff members see how much I like [teaching].”