Two Vernon High School teachers were recently honored as winners in the Red River Best Chevy Dealers Teacher Appreciation Contest. One of the honorees was the winner of the Vernon area, while the second honoree was selected as the overall Texas winner.
Dustin Swatzell, who teaches English, Debate and Theatre, was selected as the Vernon area winner, while English teacher Kayla Bennett received the overall Texas winner. The two received their prize during a presentation by Vernon Auto Group General Manager Chris Dunson and his team at their Chevrolet dealership last week.
The annual Red River Best Chevy Dealers Teacher Appreciation Contest received close to 700 nominations, with 189 of those coming from the Vernon area. Those nominations were read and evaluated as the judges narrowed the number of candidates before selecting the single winner for this area and the overall Texas winner.
The contest is conducted in March/April each year, with students, parents, teachers and administrators going to a designated website to fill out a nomination form and answer a few questions about the teacher they would like to nominate, as well as make a few personal comments about the teacher.
Here are a couple of comments from two nominations for Swatzell, who has taught at VHS for 10 years.
“Mr. Swatzell has been my teacher throughout my high school career, and he has always been there when you need to talk to someone. He listens with respect and brightens up the room when he walks in with his personality.”
From another nomination, “Mr. Swatzell has been a major part of my high school career. He took me in as a freshman and taught me how I can become my own person. He has trained many students to perfection and gave them a chance to place in the upper level of UIL events. This year alone he made Vernon history with his students on being the first teacher to have a winner in UIL State Film. Dustin Swatzell has been a Vernon Lion all of his life and his dedication proves it.”
Bennett has been a teacher for six years and this is her first year to teach in Vernon. One comment from a nomination included “I believe Mrs. Bennet should win the Teacher Appreciation Award because of how much she pushes us to get our tasks done to succeed. For example, she is the only teacher who has made sure that we know how to fill out scholarships and the essays that follow. She has also talked to us about completing these scholarships because she does not want us to fail in life. I have never felt more inspired by a stern talking teacher who has given us a wake-up call about the ‘Real World’.”
A comment from another nomination for Bennett reads, “I am pleased to nominate Mrs. Bennett for the Teacher Appreciation Award, as her commitment to her students is truly remarkable. She creates a supportive and engaging classroom where every student feels empowered. For instance, during our literature analysis project, she tailored her teaching to meet diverse learning needs, ensuring everyone could participate effectively. Mrs. Bennett also dedicates her time after school for tutoring, helping struggling students gain confidence and improve their skills. By encouraging us to set personal goals and celebrating our achievements, she fosters both academic success and personal growth, making her an invaluable mentor in our school community.”