Congratulations to Tara Cushman, instructor of Nease’s Academy of Hospitality & Tourism, who was just selected as Nease’s Rookie Teacher of the Year! This is Mrs. Cushman’s third year at Nease, and she has made a huge impact on our Academy program. She has more than doubled our Academy numbers, curriculum-mapped four subjects never before taught in St. Johns County, juggled lesson planning for 5 daily preps, learned the ins and outs of industry certification, and gotten certified herself in the Microsoft Office Bundle and Servsafe Manager program.
Beyond classroom instruction, Mrs. Cushman has taken on additional responsibilities to support Nease Academy students. She has established a DECA chapter to bring a CTSO into our Academy and provide students with opportunities to compete, adopted the Interact Club to support community service initiatives, and gave our high-achieving Academy students the chance to shine by co-founding a National Technical Honor Society at Nease. She runs all of these programs and still finds time to coach Nease’s girls lacrosse team.
Congratulations, Mrs. Cushman!
