LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mrs. Abby Lee is an 8th grade social studies teacher at LaRue County Middle School. A passionate teacher, Lee gets her inspiration on how to conduct her classroom from her mother, who is also a teacher.
Mrs. Lee focuses on practical teaching, holding mock elections, and even having her students brainstorm their own mock legislation.
"We see a lot of things in the media about how elections work, how our government works," said Christina Boone, Principal at Laure County Middle School. "It seems like now more than any other time, we see young people taking an interest in how the world is governed around them because we see so much in the media about that. Abby Lee does a fantastic job of not only explaining that, but kids do mock elections. She brings that into the classroom."
Lee has her students brainstorm bills and write legislation. This year, students completed bills about mental health in schools, creating proof their work can make changes in the world.
"With inquiry based social studies education, you have to be able to think," Lee said. "It's really awesome to be able to challenge them and say, 'What is a problem you think is in Kentucky? and how would you solve that?'"
As a teacher with her hands in many pots, Mrs. Lee says she'll be taking some time to really think about how she wants to spend her $1,000 dollar check.
"It's exciting to be given $1,000 dollars and say, 'Spend it how you want to,' so I'm excited to see where I go with that."
On behalf of WHAS11 and LG&E and KU, congratulations to LaRue County Middle School's Abby Lee on your ExCel award.
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