Toyota awards Rivermont Elementary teacher $20K

Rivermont Elementary School kindergarten teacher Colleen Ryan was surprised by Toyota representatives Friday when they named her Toyota Family Teacher of the Year and awarded her $20,000.

Toyota selected Ryan for her work in the community with The Passage — a retired school bus turned mobile classroom, filled with learning activities for children and families.

Ryan and her partner Brittany Harris, an academic coach in Hamilton County, started the classroom on wheels program to help children and families outside of the regular school day.

The classroom on wheels visits students’ homes and other community centers to provide educational assistance to families. Since the bus started its travels in November 2016, 75% of the children in families served have increased literacy skills, 80% have improved math skills, and 85% have engaged in more positive behavior in school.

“We want to buy an additional bus to make the program available to even more children so this check will help make that a reality,” Ryan said, when asked how she would use the money, according to a news release. “Our goal is to eventually have a bus serving each of the five learning communities in Hamilton County Schools.”

The check was presented by Toyota and the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL). Ryan will be recognized at the annual NCFL Families Learning Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, on Nov. 5. Harris has previously been recognized for The Passage by Ellen Degeneres and appeared on The Ellen Show in 2018.

The Toyota Family Teacher of the Year award is in its 23rd year of recognizing educators who engage students and their families in education, according to a news release.