Fatheree Praises Students, Staff and Administrators as the Top 10 Finalist Prepares to Depart for Dubai

Many area residents, past students and faculty gathered at the Hearts Rock Cafe inside Effingham High School Friday afternoon as part of a sendoff for teacher Joe Fatheree.

Fatheree is a top 10 finalist for the Global Teaching Prize.

Speaking to the crowd, Fatheree praised the staff and administrators in Unit 40 saying, "this is how we get to do great things, with this staff at Unit 40."

Fatheree also spoke highly of his students, saying "they're my energy." He went on to say that while he was excited to have physicist Steven Hawking announce his name, and is looking forward to the trip to Dubai, one of the best things he's experienced was Friday morning, when he went to get something off the printer and returned to the classroom to find his multimedia students with holding a sign that read, "we're proud of you." Fatheree said of that moment, "that's my prize."

The Global Teaching Prize will announce its $1 million winner at a conference in Dubai on Sunday, March 13.