Rose enjoys the challenges in the media center

Longtime Giant named 2023 BD Teacher of the Year

2023+Teacher+of+the+Year+Shannon+Rose+helps+a+student+in+the+media+center.

Jazmine Nelson

2023 Teacher of the Year Shannon Rose helps a student in the media center.

Danielle Shumar, staff writer

The 2023 Ben Davis Teacher of the Year award has been given to Shannon Rose, our media specialist.

Rose has been a part of the Wayne Township community ever since she was little, and she has worked hard to get to where she is now. She has earned this award through her amazing accomplishments with the media center and student body as a whole. Rose discusses her background, achievements, and favorite aspects of her role.

Rose has been a student of Wayne Township since kindergarten.

“I went to Maplewood Elementary, and then South Wayne back before it was Lynhurst, and then I graduated from Ben Davis,” Rose said.

She has remained a part of the Ben Davis family following her days as a student.

“I have been teaching here for 20 years,” Rose said. “I was in the English classroom for 15 years, and the library for five.”

Helping people is my love language.

— Shannon Rose

Rose has grown into her position as the media specialist through the years.

“I originally went to school for psychology, and then shortly after starting college, I would help my friends in the dorm room with their essays,” Rose said. “They would always turn to me for help, and I realized that I liked helping them, especially with their writing.”

Finding love for writing and English classes led Rose to decide to become an English teacher. “After being in the classroom for 15 years, I started looking for a little bit of a new challenge,” she said.

After the last librarian retired, a friend mentioned the position to Rose and told her she would be great at it.

“A lot of ideas started coming to me about how to really make the library a hub at this school, and offer resources to both the teachers and the students,” Rose said. “I got really excited about it and decided to go for it.”

There are many things that make Rose’s position difficult and display how she has earned the title of teacher of the year.

“There is a lot that goes into it that students and other teachers don’t always see,” Rose said.. When asked what is most challenging about her role, Rose answered “I would say balance. Being able to balance and have sacred work time is hard for me because I’m constantly pulled away.”

A lot of people may not realize that it’s difficult to get work done when there are so many students needing assistance.

“I’m just one person in this big role in this huge school, so I’m spread pretty thin sometimes,” Rose said.

Even though the position is challenging, there are many benefits to it.

Rose said “Helping people is my love language,” and her role as the media specialist has allowed her to fully embrace that.

Although she misses working with students more independently in the classroom setting, she says “This allows me to work with more students on a bigger level.”

Rather than focusing on one classroom full of students, Rose can help all Ben Davis students and teachers become the best they can be. Her position in the library has allowed her to focus on “really providing resources to students and teachers” and “take a more aerial view of what’s happening in our school.” Because of this, she is constantly finding ways to improve the school through the media center.

One thing students might not know about the media center is the consistent opportunities and activities that are provided. For example, there are always reading challenges going on, guest speakers coming in, and technology provided. Getting involved in the media center and taking advantage of the opportunities that are provided is difficult when students don’t always know about what’s going on.

Rose said “It’s hard for me to communicate programming and opportunities to the students. We have a lot of fun and innovative things going on, like I always have reading challenges, and I am implementing a new digital makerspace so people can edit, and work on videos and pictures. It’s hard for me to get that word out.”

Using social media and relying on teachers to get the word out is something that is difficult about all the media center programs.

“A lot of students don’t utilize the media center like they could in order to have more opportunities and resources,” Rose said.
During her time at Ben Davis, Rose has achieved many great things. The media center has taken a turn for the better since she started in her position. It has improved as a whole, and there are many more resources and opportunities being given out to students.

Rose said she is “really proud of where I’ve come as a teacher, and morphing into this new role.”

She is not a fan of change, so switching from her time as an English teacher and coming to the library was a challenge.

“As I didn’t go to school for media, it was really a step into the unknown, and I feel like I have owned it, and I’m proud of the changes that I’ve made,” Rose said.

In addition to her accomplishments at Ben Davis, Rose said “I’m really proud of being a mom. I really feel like that’s something I’m good at.”
Balancing a time-consuming career and finding time for family is undoubtedly not easy, and it’s definitely something to be admired.

The biggest question is how does Rose feel about being voted teacher of the year?

“I feel very, very honored,” she said. “Especially in this role, I’m not often recognized as a teacher still, so I feel very honored that people recognize that my baseline is still a teacher. I have had a lot of really kind messages, and people saying really nice things to me, so it’s been really empowering and fulfilling.”

Rose’s position as the media specialist is not easy, and she has allowed the media center to grow and expand in order to benefit students and teachers. Constant assistance and opportunities are given to the entire student body through the media center. Rose is selfless and helpful in her position, and she has rightfully earned her title as Teacher of the Year.