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Local Teacher Wins Applebee’s Above and ‘Bee’yond Contest

Marta Van Sciver. {courtesy of the Peddell family}

By Agrippina Fadel

Marta Van Sciver, a fifth-grade teacher at Coconut Creek Elementary, had won the 6th annual Above and “BEE”yond Teacher Essay Contest, organized by Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar.

One of her students, Steven Peddell, nominated Van Sciver who receives a $500 check for school supplies and an end-of-year party for her class.

Steven will undoubtedly get a lot of high-fives from his classmates for the party and enjoy a free ice cream at Applebee’s.

The contest honors the best teachers in each school district in thirteen counties in Georgia and Florida. To nominate someone, students had to submit an essay in-person at their local Applebee’s explaining why their teacher deserves to be the “Teacher of the Year.”

Steven said he nominated Ms. Van Sciver because she is kind to all her students and “treats all of us the same.” “She is fair and does so many extra things at school. She tutors kids before and after classes, and she is patient, kind, understanding, and dedicated,” he added.

Steven with Kim Ridenour (Grade 4 teacher) and Marta Van Sciver. {Courtesy of the Peddell family.}

Steven said he was happy to hear his essay had won and is excited about the free ice cream and the party.

Van Sciver, originally from Philadelphia, has been a Coconut Creek resident for 27 years and lives close to the school in the South Creek neighborhood. A teacher for over twenty years, she says the nomination and the win came as a surprise.

“It was much appreciated to hear the kind words and learn what the student wrote about me,” she said, adding that it is always nice to get recognition from the students and parents and to know that the community is behind the teachers and supports them.

“Even when they write me a little note or tell me in person how much they like being in my class or what they learned, all of that means a lot to me. I do care about them, so it’s nice to hear for sure,” added Van Sciver.

She said she would use the $500 sponsorship check to buy supplies her students will need in the classroom next year and any other items that the school needs.

Van Sciver added that the schools need as much help as possible. With the supplies being pretty limited, they often rely on donations from parents and local companies, and teachers spend a lot of their own money to make sure the kids have everything they need to learn and thrive in school.

“When we get help like that from an outside source, it is really appreciated. I don’t even know how many pencils we went through this year; that alone is quite a cost. We like to provide students with snacks, so we use donations to purchase those as well,” she said.

Applebee’s provides Van Sciver’s class with lunch or dinner, either at school or their location. She said her students are very excited, and she will make sure every one of them is included in the event.

Van Sciver said such recognition boosts teachers’ morale and spirit, especially towards the end of the year when everyone starts getting tired.

“I appreciate the nomination and am very happy for myself and my class. I am really glad we can all celebrate their success this year and all the hard work they have put in, especially after the pandemic the last two years,” she added.

Applebee’s Above and “BEE”yond Teacher Essay Contest ran in restaurants owned and operated by local franchisee Doherty Enterprises. Established in 1985, Doherty Enterprises operates more than 130 restaurants in New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Georgia.

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Agrippina Fadel

Agrippina Fadel grew up in Siberia and received her master's in journalism from Tyumen State University. A resident of Florida for over 10 years, she also works as a marketing and communication specialist at a local university.