COLUMBIA, S.C. — Our News19 Teacher of the Week is Mrs. Kechia Williams.
For the majority of her teaching career, she taught sixth grade English at E.L. Wright Middle School in Richland School District Two. She has been teaching for 30 years.
“I'm here to teach them to read, write, speak, but most of all, to make them a better person. To help them when they're needed. Kids are going through so much right now with everything. So if I'm able to help them in that particular way, that's my job. That's what I am here to do, and I love it,” says Mrs. Williams.
Ja'Nae Wells is one of Mrs. Williams' former students. Now in eighth grade, she says Mrs. Williams helped her during a tough time in life when she came to middle school.
“She definitely brightened up our spirits. It's an ELA class, but she definitely kept it fun,” says Wells. "I was going through a really hard time in my sixth-grade year when I first walked into middle school. But after winter break, she started to bring the light to me, and I started to understand more. I'm in my high classes now that I'm in eighth grade because of Mrs. Williams."
Wells nominated Mrs. Williams to be our next News19 Teacher of the Week because of the impact she had on her.
“Mrs. Williams, you're the best teacher I've had so far going through all these years in middle school. It's been rough, but I'm glad to have you by my side and have you anytime I need help,” says Wells.
Mrs. Williams was a criminal justice major at USC and worked at the Department of Juvenile Justice. She says the "teaching bug bit her."
“When I got into the schools, I was like, Oh, I really like this. And I really saw that I could help children. I could really guide them and direct them. And so that's when I decided I'm going to go back to school and I'm going to get my Master’s in Teaching,” says Mrs. Williams.
And since making the switch to teaching, Mrs. Williams has stayed at E.L. Wright Middle School.
“I never really thought to go anywhere different, for the simple reason that every year is something new. It's always new. So I always came back. I knew the kids needed me here. I knew that I was wanted. I knew that I was making a difference,” says Mrs. Williams.
Mrs. Williams also won the "Tireless Teacher of the Month" award back in August.
The award is given to one teacher every month at the middle school for their dedication to their students.
If you know a teacher like Mrs. Williams who deserves to be recognized for their hard work in the classroom you can nominate them by emailing us at TOW@WLTX.COM. Tell us what that educator is doing every day to go above and beyond in the classroom.
