By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News

For Caroline Barrington, recognition was never the plan.

“I am surprised, honestly, that I made it this far. And I wished I knew who nominated me for this, but they won’t tell me,” said Barrington of her surprise nomination in the ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’ competition.

Barrington, a third grade teacher at Sally Mauro Elementary School, has been in the field for over 30 years. But, it wasn’t always the plan,” I didn’t know I wanted to be a teacher until I got a job at Creekview Elementary as an aide. My two girls went there, and I was there for about two years. And the principal called me one day and said, ‘Would you consider being a teacher?’ I told him that I had to work, I didn’t have time, and I had my five kids that I was taking care of. And he told me,’ Well, you think about it, and then come back and talk to me.’

Think about it she did, eventually accepting the offer and kicking off her teaching journey in the special education field. Over her 30 years teaching, Barrington has acquired several cherished memories, but her favorites, she explained, came during her 18 years in special ed,” I was a special ed teacher for 18 years; I did self-contained for four of those years. And I honestly think that being in that self-contained unit with the older kids was the most rewarding, seeing them learn and pick up things that people say that they wouldn’t do before.”

Every teacher approaches classroom management differently. Barrington explained her style: ” I want the kids to know that they’re important and that they teach me things, too. I learn things every day from them. I want them to know that I appreciate them being there at school and wanting to be ready to learn.”

“I didn’t promote myself at the beginning, and someone else nominated me,” said the ever-humble Barrington. “I was kind of hesitant in the beginning. And I had so many people encouraging me and saying,’ It would be absolutely wonderful if you would do it if you would stay in there.’ And so I chose to do that. And I think that being a teacher for as long as I have, I’ve seen a lot. I have made mistakes, obviously, and I have learned from them. But I still love kids, I love learning and I love having them around and teaching them.”

Barrington described qualities that set her apart from other candidates, saying,” I think the fact that I try to get to know my families. I try to get to know what the kids like and what they don’t like. My colleagues and the people that I work with are amazing. And I like helping them. They are amazing to help me. And I think it’s just that I like being around people.”

The contest winner – in addition to a school assembly with Bill Nye and a feature in Reader’s Digest – receives $25,000. Barrington shared a selfless use for the prize money,” I would take a lot of it to get things for our school that our district can’t afford. I mean, we can only get so much. And there are a lot of things with science and math manipulatives that our whole school could use. And if I can do that, that would be the best thing I could contribute.”

In closing, Barrington made one last pitch for votes: “Thank you to everybody who has been voting. Please go and vote because I want to be able to give back to the community and back to our schools.”

Quarterfinal voting in the ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’ competition is open until Thursday, April 17. You can access voting here.