In December, Mrs. Kerri Fenton was named Teacher of the Year for bringing energy to Cypress while putting smiles on every student’s face. This award recognizes teachers like Fenton who excel at leadership, engaging students in class, and fostering a positive learning environment.
For 20 years, Fenton has taught at Cypress High School, looking to help students gain self-confidence and the ability to work together. With her class, she strives to give students a “joyful, wonderful experience so that they can look back and say ‘Yeah, I did that!’” While she originally instructed English, she fell in love with dance and decided that is what she wanted to pursue. The highlight of her career is seeing how each student grows and thrives in her class. “Every show, I love watching the transformation from the beginning and then seeing the students on stage. Every single dance concert, I get tears in my eyes,” she noted.
Fenton’s influence on campus is nothing short of widespread, reaching even the faculty. Dr. Daniel Lieu remarked that working with Fenton is “like working with one of the happiest people. She’s always bringing the energy to our school campus.” He added, “I can’t imagine anybody more deserving because the positivity she brings to our school is awesome. I think we need the smiles, and she kind of forces people to look up from their phones and out of their zones.”
Not only does her energy inspire staff members, but it also encourages many of her students. When asked about Fenton receiving the Teacher of the Year award, Sophomore Maya Set-Abouha said, “I think it was really well-deserved. She always has positive energy and helps us have a better day.” Apart from bringing a lot of positive energy to her classes, Fenton also teaches lessons that students can take with them wherever they go. Sophomore Yashika Patel remarked that Fenton taught her that “just because something hard or stressful is happening in your life, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a smile on your face.”
Fenton expressed that she was “so surprised and completely humbled by the whole thing,” but with immense passion for benefitting students, there is no question why she deserves Teacher of the Year. She is loved by many students and staff here at Cypress High School.
