Summit Academy Middle School – Akron’s Title 1/Multi-tiered Systems of Supports Teacher Tasha Hunter has been named a contestant for the Reader’s Digest “America’s Favorite Teacher” contest.
The nomination comes as no surprise when you enter Hunter’s classroom, which is filled with smiling children. Her creative, easy teaching style inspires students to not only enhance, 
but to embrace, their reading and writing talents.
“My favorite part of teaching is helping my students find their love for reading. I tell all my students that everyone who says they hate reading just has not found what they love to read. Once they find that love, their world is full of opportunities,” Hunter says. “My goal every day is to make as many students smile as I can. I talk with them, ask their opinions, tell them they matter and are loved.”
Hunter says she became fascinated with teaching when she was in the fifth grade. Once a month, her grandmother, who was a teacher’s aide, would bring her into the classroom to read stories to the students at story time.
“They were so excited to have me read. They would request books for me to read and would even tell me that they loved the story so much they would ask their parents to buy
the book for them,” Hunter recalls.
After she received her B.A. from The University of Akron, Hunter began working as a substitute teacher at Louisville Elementary School. She taught for the school district for four years before joining Summit Academy this school year.
“I love the sense of family we have here at Summit. The staff at the middle school is an amazing group of educators. We support each other and are well supported by our leadership and curriculum team,” Hunter says. “We collaborate on everything, and genuinely care about each other and our students. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with.”
Hunter and her husband have four children who are active in art showings, musical theater performances, dance competitions, cheerleading and soccer. She and her family enjoy primitive camp outings and backpacking. Hunter says she also has a passion for art, which she brings into her classroom at every opportunity.
“I love being creative, especially painting with watercolor, so I try to incorporate art into the lessons in my classroom whenever I can,” she says.
Voting for “America’s Favorite Teacher” began March 25 and continues through a series of rounds. You can learn more about our rising Summit Academy star and cast your vote for her daily during each round at https://americasfavteacher.org/2024/tasha-hunter.
Good luck, Tasha!