Pillow is a Gold Star Teacher
Published 11:05 am Wednesday, October 31, 2018
- Nicholas Newcomb, Matthew Newcomb, and Christopher Johnson learn about financial responsibility through the implementation of a mini economy within the classroom.
Randolph-Henry High School Teacher Sherri Pillow has received the Gold Star Teacher Award from Working Support of Education (W!SE).
Pillow currently serves as a Business and Information Technology Teacher and Economics and Personal Finance Instructor.
Sherri Pillow
“We are very proud of Mrs. Pillow and her class,” said Randolph-Henry High School’s Principal Shep Critzer.
This year, 556 teachers from 27 states earned the award.
“To be considered for the Gold Star Award, a teacher must have achieved a 93 percent passing rate in at least one class on either the fall 2017 or spring 2018 W!SE Financial Literacy Certification Test,” said information provided by Pillow.
According to W!SE, the goal of the Financial Literacy Certification Program is to help students in high school graduate as financially literate adults.
“Participating high schools teach a course or unit on personal finance and then administer our national, standardized Financial Literacy Certification Test,” said W!SE. “To support instruction, we provide professional development and instructional resources including webinar training, a detailed curriculum outline aligned with national and state standards, a comprehensive resources directory and online practice quizzes. Pretesting is also available.”
Pillow said the students will take the Financial Literacy Certification in Economics and Personal Finance Class at the end of each semester.
“The certification serves as their exam and also satisfies a graduation requirement,” said Pillow. “My students are usually successful, but last spring was the first time that 100 percent of the students to take the test passed. It was a wonderful feeling as a teacher. I am very proud of the effort and hard work from each student.”
Students in Sherri Pillow’s Economics and Personal Finance Class enjoy learning about financial
literacy at the Bank of Charlotte County. Pillow said the students typically visit local businesses
and host guest speakers in the classroom.
She said the students prepare for the test in a variety of ways, including simulation such as the H&R Block Budget Challenge and Stock Market Game.
In addition, the students also visit local businesses and host guest speakers in the classroom.
“Each semester I try to use new resources and am always looking for better ways to make it real for the students,” said Pillow. “I love teaching about personal finance and always tell my students that I am sure that they will use what we are learning in life. It is very nice to be recognized by W!SE.”
The mission of W!SE is “to improve lives by developing financial literacy and college and career readiness.”
Additionally, the organization said it strives to connect with low to moderate communities across the country.
“Mrs. Pillow is very deserving of the Gold Star Teacher Award and Charlotte County Public Schools is proud that Mrs. Pillow received this recognition for her high performance on her teaching credentialing,” said Charlotte County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Nancy Leonard. “Mrs. Pillow is an outstanding teacher and a kind and compassionate presence in our schools.”
Pillow said this semester, her class is looking forward to visiting the Junior Achievement Finance Park in Richmond.
“They will take on a new identity and will work, shop and live within their financial means,” she said.
