The annual Fayette County FAME awards are a time for students to reflect on and express their appreciation for a former coach, teacher, or administrator from their current school or past school that has had an important impact on their life, and the 2016 results were recently released.

Although all high school seniors are invited to participate, 42 students from Dunbar sent in submissions for this award, which was the most from any school. The winner this year was senior Keriann Ferguson who wrote about her teacher from Clays Mill Elementary, Mrs. Devon Roxberry. Keriann had Mrs. Roxberry all six years that she attended Clays Mill for a special program that is provided to the gifted and talented students. 

“There are so many teachers I could’ve written about so I was thinking back about all of them and she stood out for the person who had the biggest impact on me in and out of the classroom,” said Ferguson.

FAME awards are a time for reflection upon past years and experiences. Ferguson’s essay included examples of how Mrs. Roxberry went above and beyond while teaching kids, and how she not only taught them, but she also transformed them into the people they became.

According the Ferguson, Mrs. Roxberry changed not only her world, but the world of all of her students. She taught them that being special and gifted is something to be proud of and show off, not to hide and keep away.

Ferguson provided a specific example of how Mrs. Roxberry made her students feel special when she said, “Mrs. Roxberry created a world where the nerds were the cool kids.

When we walked out of her class, she would dot the tip of our noses with a marker. This small colored dot was a symbol recognized by everyone in the school. She wanted her students and everyone else we encountered to know we were special.”

The award ceremony took place on February 27 at Bryan Station High School where all five of the winners read their essays aloud alongside their teachers. The rest of the students presented their nominations with an excerpt from their essays.

The winners were presented with a Barnes & Noble gift card along with a gift card to Staples. The teachers who were honored in each winning essay were provided with a FAME certificate along with a matted copy of the essay and a photograph with their essayist.

This opportunity is available each year for seniors. The deadline is usually early February, but it is never too late to get a head start on your potentially award-winning essay.