Sunny Saunders – Reading Coach

I was honored to be asked to introduce Sunny Saunders for the Leon County Reading Council Literacy Award. I first met Sunny in 1989, and taught with her for 3 years before moving away for 13 years. In that short time, she had a huge influence on my teaching career. Looking back over the past twenty years, I have realized part of what makes Sunny such a distinct educator. Sunny believes that everyone, even teachers, never stop learning, and she continues to inspire both her students and her peers to make themselves better, each and every day.

Since beginning her teaching career in 1974, Sunny Saunders has taught a variety of grade levels, from kindergarten through college age students. In addition to teaching elementary school, where she spent most of her career, she has also taught K-8 Reading Intervention and Middle School Language Arts. While teaching during the day, she also taught college level courses in the evening at FSU, Santa Fe Community College, and Flagler College.

Her leadership roles are just as impressive as her impact in the classroom, and I'll only mention a few of them tonight. Sunny was awarded the Leon County Elementary Reading Coach of the Year for 2007-2008, and has served as an Instructor for Reading Endorsement classes for Leon County, President of the Leon County Reading Council (2000 – 2001), and President of the National Board Certified Teachers of Leon County (2007 – 2008.) She has also been a cherished mentor for first year teachers, leader of FOCS Group for first year teachers, and a Mentor for National Board Candidates. And the list goes on and on.

In addition to serving in these leadership roles, Sunny has presented at a number of conferences at the local, state, and national levels. She presented at the Capital City Developmental Learning Symposium, Early Childhood Mentor Teacher Symposium, Florida Educational Technology Conference, and The Learning Network Conference.

In summary, Sunny has been an irreplaceable mentor to many of the teachers at W. T. Moore and other schools throughout Leon County. Her primary focus is always what is best for the students, no matter what it takes from the teacher. She gives tirelessly of herself to help teachers, students, parents, and the organizations she is involved in throughout the county. I am constantly in awe of what she has accomplished throughout her thirty five years as an educator.

I hope Sunny realizes the impact she has had on so many of the teachers she has touched throughout their careers. I have learned so much from having taught with Sunny and I continue to ask myself in many classroom situations, “what would Sunny do or how would she handle this.”

I would like to introduce my friend, colleague, and mentor Sunny Saunders who will receive the Leon County Reading Council Literacy Award.