Dougherty County Teacher of the Year is… *drumroll* Songea Sichali

ALBANY, Ga. – Today is the last day of Teacher Appreciation Week and one Dougherty County teacher got an extra special “Thank You.”

Songea Sichali is a 5th grade English teacher at Lincoln Elementary Magnet School.

She was invited to her school to help pass out gift cards to fellow teachers but instead received a gift herself.

Sichali has been named Dougherty County School System Teacher of the Year. And the recognition comes with a giant, $1000 check.

“I’m really honored to be Teacher of the Year but it’s really nothing I ever aspired to, I just love to teach so it just happened organically,” says Sichali.

Superintendent Kenneth Dyer says selecting an honoree is a rigorous process.

He says, “Were so pleased that Ms. Sichali won she is a dynamic teacher and she represents the Dougherty County School System really well.”

“I’m greatly appreciative that people in the school and the district notice that I have such a passion for teaching. But to be honest, the interaction with the kids everyday, that’s what means the most to me,” says Sichali.

Millions of teachers are away from their students during this pandemic. But Sichali says she wants her students to look at the situation and remember what she’s always taught them, “Which is critically level thinking skills, problem and solution, how to adapt to different environments and we’re just going to have to make it all through together.”

As Teacher of the Year, Sichali says she’s ready to influence the next group of students.

“I’m most excited about getting my next group of entrepreneurs, my next group of politicians, my next group of world leaders and being able to influence them and let them know they can make a change in the world.”

Sichali will go on to represent the school system in the competitive selection process for the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year.