One announcement. One poster. One incredible gift.

When Ms. Jordan’s name was announced over the intercom as Teacher of the Year, it confirmed what the rest of the school was thinking, but hearing it out loud made it official.

“I hundred percent believe Ms. Jordan deserved to be teacher of the year!” Mustafa Alshawi expressed. “She’s a great teacher. She treats everyone fairly, she treats everyone the same, just overall a good teacher and knows how to teach.”

That sense of fairness Mustafa mentioned isn’t accidental. Whether she’s breaking down chapters of the book Born a Crime or offering a last-minute pep talk before a big game, Ms. Jordan meets students exactly where they are.

“Ms. Jordan is a very kind and hearty teacher,” Xzavian Silver explained.  “She gets me ahead of my work, and when I’m distracted or I’m distracting friends she pulls me back in; that’s exactly what I need sometimes.” 

Where others might see a difficult behavioral moment as a source of frustration, Ms. Jordan sees an opportunity for connection.

To Ms. Jordan, a student showing her that they struggle with focus isn’t an act of disrespect, it’s a safety check.

“I realized that teenagers let their guard down and show their messy, distracted sides when they trust the adult in the room not to give up on them,” Jordan said. 

By providing that stability, she creates a place where students feel secure enough to be vulnerable.

Despite the sudden spotlight, Ms. Jordan’s focus doesn’t shift.

“I was only 19 when I started student teaching, and I was hooked,” Ms. Jordan recalled. “There’s nothing like the feeling of seeing those neurons connect the moment a student truly grasps a lesson.”  Making that standard day a milestone for her.