NexTier Bank would like to thank all the teachers, teacher’s aides, and community members for participating in the 2025 Teaching Our Next Generation Essay Contest & Good Neighbor Award.

This year, 12 teachers submitted essays, and 8 teachers were nominated for the Good Neighbor Award, allowing for NexTier Bank to donate more than 360 school supplies to students throughout the communities we serve.

AND THE WINNERS ARE …

1st Place: Mikayla Flory, Valley Junior-Senior High School, New Kensington-Arnold School District 

Her essay reads:

If my childhood hero stepped in to teach my classes for a week, I would hope she shared with them how to be confident. My childhood hero is the best person for this, as she’s a guiding light, a strong role model, and everyone’s number one supporter; my mom, Michelle McCaulley.

Many of my students lack the constant and strong parental guidance that is imperative to building their confidence. Unfortunately, many have parents who are not involved in their lives, have passed away, or simply are too busy with other things to devote the attention to their children that is necessary. Their role models are instead social media influencers or celebrities, rather than their parents or other family members. My teenage students are already struggling with seeing the “perfect” bodies, couples, and lives on social media, and based on the number of times I hear “I wish I looked like …” each day, they think they’re beneath what they see online. They are too busy watching who and what they “should” be, hoping to be someone other than themselves. I was fortunate to have someone there to make me feel like my most beautiful self. To remind me that not everything I see online is real, that no two people are the same. That I am exactly as I should be. Not enough of my students have someone there to tell them that they look beautiful and strong. My mom would make sure they heard it everyday she was there, and would say it enough that they’d start to believe it.

In my math classroom, my students are so scared to speak up to answer a question because they don’t want to be wrong. As much as I encourage them to try, and tell them that mistakes are how we learn, so many of my students hold themselves back because they don’t have the confidence to be wrong in front of others. They don’t think they’re smart enough, causing them to lose interest, lack focus, and fall behind. Many come from homes where mistakes are punished, and are “corrected” through vulgarities and put-downs. Many have never been encouraged to try. I was lucky enough to have a hero who taught me that mistakes are a part of life, who encouraged me to make mistakes to learn and then become better. My mom let me know that no matter how big of a mistake I made in the classroom or in life, she would still be there rooting for me. If my mom were in my classroom, she would let them know that they would still be loved if they spoke incorrectly or did something wrong, and would help them realize that this is how we learn and grow.

My mom is the real life hero that everyone deserves to have. I am living an incredible life because of her, and I can imagine how much my students would thrive after a week of her support.

2nd Place: Tracy Eddy, Dayton Elementary School, Armstrong School District

Her essay reads:

At my age, childhood is like a galaxy far away. The magnitude of people who have shaped my journey to a 30+ year teaching career causes me to pause and takes my breath away. It would be easy to list inspiring authors who motivated me to change the world. I could certainly list teachers who encouraged me to be my best self. However, my hero is a woman named Teresa Fetcenko, and I am grateful for the life lessons she taught me.

Teresa hailed from a coal town called Hawk Run and later moved to Yatesboro. As the oldest of 7 children, contributing to the family was essential and expected. Instead of a job at home, Teresa headed to Pittsburgh with a high school education and lots of hope. She worked her way through the ranks of a bank called First Federal and became a senior mortgage officer. As the years went by, Teresa rode the Greyhound bus home to Kittanning because her family never stopped being important to her, especially her niece, me.

Inviting Teresa to my classroom would be a dream! Her instant charm and smile make you feel loved and valuable. Because her mantra is “bored people are boring,” Teresa would be ready to create some fun. As simplistic as it sounds, I would ask her to give a puzzle building lesson, a skill that was taught to me at our kitchen table. First, she would show students the box with the picture. Set a goal and envision your success. Next, she would have them flip all of the pieces to see the colors. Organize your materials, resources, and time. Then, she would demonstrate how to create the border of the puzzle. Set boundaries and be solid in your commitment. Additionally, Teresa would model how to match the colors and find similarities. Make connections with strategies, people, beliefs. Most importantly, she would remind that every piece counts in the completion of the puzzle. Every experience contributes to who you are as a person. Last, Teresa would react to pieces not fitting in a way that encourages resilience and tenacity. Mistakes do happen, but it’s how you react that determines your character. Just one puzzle creates opportunities for a multitude of life lessons.

As a child, I never grasped the value of puzzles with Aunt Teresa. As an adult, I carry those lessons with me every single day that I walk into my classroom. I recently taught kindergarten jump start at two elementary schools this summer and observed that most of my students could not put together a puzzle. For that, I am sad. For that exact reason, I want to model how to be a person with characteristics that extend beyond textbooks and computer screens. As teachers, we are missing important lessons like puzzles which truly have immeasurable value. What I wouldn’t give for a classroom visit from Teresa. For now, I have to believe that she is smiling down at the teacher and mom I have become.

3rd Place: Jaysa Ditty, Life Skills, Union School District

Her essay reads:

My dad (Randon Ditty Jr.) is my hero, no question. He wasn’t seen as a hero to most, but he is my childhood hero. He was always there for my brother and me. When we were little, he owned two pizza shops. I can still remember the smell of pizza all the time! As we got older, he made a huge decision: he closed them both down. He gave up his dream of being his own boss so my brother and I could have a better childhood, not stuck in a pizza shop all the time. That’s why, if he could teach my high school life skills class for a week, I’d want him to teach them how to make pizza. It’s a simple skill, but it’s super helpful and something we don’t cover in our regular lessons.

Growing up, I didn’t just see my dad as someone who worked hard. He was always there for us, always telling us not to give up. His pizza shops weren’t just about making money; they were about caring for our family. So, when he closed them, it showed how much he cared about us. He wanted us to have a good life, and that meant more to him than anything else.

In my life skills class, we teach students practical skills they can use, such as budgeting, job applications, and cooking basic meals. We do some cooking, but it would be awesome if my students could learn to make pizza from scratch. It’s not too expensive, and it’s something they can make for themselves and their families. Plus, it teaches you a lot: how to measure, how to knead dough, and how to get creative with toppings.

My dad would be great at teaching my students how to make pizzas. He’d start with the basics: what the ingredients are and why they matter. Then, he’d show them how to knead the dough, telling them to be patient. He’d let them experiment with different toppings so they can make their special pizzas. Then he’d tell them stories about running his pizza shops, teaching them about customer service, teamwork, and how good it feels to work hard. He could even show them how to calculate the cost of making the pizza and how much to sell it for!

Having my dad teach my students how to make pizza would be more than just a cooking lesson. It would be a chance for them to see someone who’s dedicated, who’s made sacrifices for his family, and who knows how to work hard. They’d learn a skill they can use for the rest of their lives. They’d see that even something as simple as making a pizza can be a source of pride and connection. I’d love for my students to learn from my hero and see that he is a very hardworking person, and learning this skill goes beyond the standards we teach in class.

Good Neighbor Award: Nichole Forsyth, Music Teacher, DuBois Central Catholic School

Nomination:

At DuBois Central Catholic, musical theater teacher Nichole Forsyth has created more than just a stage—she has built a safe and welcoming community for students. Her classroom is a place where kids who may not feel like they fit in elsewhere can discover a home, a family, and a voice. Through her passion for the arts, Mrs. Forsyth empowers students to embrace their individuality, take creative risks, and support one another both on stage and off. The lessons learned under her guidance extend far beyond performance: confidence, teamwork, and self-expression carry into every aspect of their lives. Her impact on our school community is immeasurable, as she continues to nurture not only talented performers but also compassionate, confident young people.

OUR JUDGES

Steve Bartley

Steve joined NexTier Bank in 2016 and currently serves as the Senior Mailroom / Lockbox Specialist.

Debbie Hopper

Debbie joined NexTier Bank in 2022 and currently serves as VP / Treasury Management Relationship Manager.

Tabatha Johnston

Tabatha joined NexTier Bank in 2024 and currently serves as the Corporate Executive Secretary.

Dee McCall

Dee joined NexTier Bank in 2004 and currently serves as a Senior Retail Internet Banking Administrator.

Stephanie Reay

Stephanie Reay joined NexTier Bank in 2024 and is a Teller in the NexTier Center Branch.