“I come from a long line of educators. I grew up watching how important the work is and how fulfilling it can be,” she said.
Cody and three other teachers will receive the Excellence in Teaching award March 23. The 38th awards program is sponsored by the Springfield Rotary Club, the Springfield Foundation, the Greater Springfield Partnership, Meijer and Wilson Sheehan Foundation.
Teaching means creating a safe place for students to try, make mistakes and grow, Cody said, and being a teacher means she directly affects her students everyday.
“It means celebrating the small wins. While proficiency in my content area is always the goal, the largest part of teaching is helping students become good, kind people,” she said. “My decisions and reactions help shape my student’s academic, emotional and social development. Everyday is an opportunity to show up for my students.”
For Cody, teaching fifth grade is fun and rewarding to see the growth students make from the beginning to the end of the school year because they become more independent and responsible. She said she chose to teach math, not only because it’s fun and she loves it, but because she loves to change students’ minds about it.
“Math can sometimes get a bad reputation. Whether it’s boring or students struggle with self confidence in class, I love to prove students wrong. Math is fun, and everyone can do math if they try hard, use their resources, and ask for help,” she said.
Cody’s favorite part about teaching are the relationships she’s formed. memories she’s made and the impact she’s able to make.
“I love when past students tell me that they remember (and use) the silly songs we sang together. Hearing how a student’s perception of math or their abilities changed from being in my classroom is the ultimate reward.” she said, explaining her goal is to teach students that everyone can do math, it can be fun and to be a kind human.
“I want students to leave my class with a belief that they can excel in math or have the work ethic and attitude to try. Fifth graders are honest and silly, and even on tough days, there is always something to smile at.”
Inspired by her students as they grown and learn, Cody said she loves when they start to understand or master a skill they didn’t think they could because it reminds her the work she does matters and is worth it.
Cody is honored to be chosen for this award, which she said is an “incredible way” to be recognized for the work and dedication she has for her students.
“There are not many tangible ways to be recognized for all of the hard work that teachers do. We are not always able to see the impact we have on students beyond their year with us,” she said. “If you know a teacher, thank a teacher. Kind words go a long way and are an amazing way to recognize a teacher for everything they do for their students.
She earned her bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University and has focused her professional development on gifted instruction.
2026 Excellence in Teaching Award
This is the second story in a four-part series by the Springfield News-Sun on the teachers in Clark County receiving the 2026 Excellence in Teaching Award.
About the Author
