Posted on Courant.com
April 28, 2016, 9:16 a.m.

A Waterbury teacher, who considered dropping out of school as a teenaged mother, has been named the National Teacher of the Year.

Jahana Hayes, a social studies teacher at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury for the last 11 years, was named National Teacher of the Year on the CBS This Morning news show on Thursday.

“Wow, I have so many emotions, it’s exciting, nervous thrilled, blessed, grateful,” Hayes, 43, a Wolcott resident told Gayle King on the CBS show shortly after the announcement. “All of the above.”

The show featured video clips of Haye’s students praising her including one who said,.”My family has been through a lot and she’s been there.” A video feed from the school showed Hayes’ students cheering for her when the announcement was made.