With the steady increase in autism prevalence in the United States, special education teachers are becoming an even more crucial part of our educational system. That’s where an exceptional selection for March’s Education Impact Award stands out.
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For 11 years, Michelle Fulcher has served as a special education teacher at Campbell Court Elementary School in Basset. Each day brings new challenges in her self-contained autism classroom. Despite this, Fulcher says her students’ growth is constant, something she is honored to witness. Progress is often measured in small goals that many might overlook.
“Just to watch them grow. It’s the baby steps: learning to pick up a spoon and to feed themselves,” Fulcher said. “Simple things that we take for granted. They have to learn those skills. Some come in not knowing how to do that ... We jump through the roof with excitement when they master their goals, and we just move on to the next goal. We just keep pushing them.
Fulcher brings passion, compassion, patience, and creativity in equal measure to the school she attended as a child. She strives to create a family-like atmosphere to help her students thrive.
Campbell Court Elementary School Principal Dr. Elizabeth Motley said Fulcher’s unwavering commitment leaves a lasting impact on each student’s life.
“In the classroom, I think that they’ve all been together, so that they know how to navigate situations together ... It has an absolute sense of community with the way that they interact with each other.”
10 News, along with Blue Eagle Credit Union, surprised Ms. Fulcher with a financial reward, highlighting the crucial role she continues to play in the community. Ultimately, Fulcher said she wants to ensure that both the present and future of these kiddos are brighter than ever before.
Blue Eagle Credit Union Senior Brand Specialist Laurissa Thompson said, “This is one of the best parts of my job. I love coming out and recognizing people who go above and beyond, but it’s more than that. This has such a ripple effect on our community. These children, she talked about positivity. Every human needs positivity in their life; she’s given the students that, but that trickles out to their families. It trickles out to the community. It trickles out to just being a good human, to be kind, to have people feel valued and worth something more than just what people initially see, and so what she’s given these students goes beyond the classroom and will be something that impacts their lives.”
Fulcher said seeing her students smile makes all that she does worth it.
“Seeing my children’s smiles getting off the bus, getting out of the cars .. It’s like we’re little mamas to them, so just seeing their happiness, success, and mastering goals is what makes us keep coming back to school every day.”