Our 2022 Crystal Apple Award Winner is Alicia Garff!
Alicia Garff is an extraordinary teacher. Her intersection of academic rigor and positive relationship-building is the epitome of what it means to be a Payson High School teacher. She earned a bachelor’s degree from BYU in Chemistry Education in 2014 and a master’s degree from the University of Utah in Physics with an emphasis in teaching in 2018. Alicia has a knack for making her science classes engaging, going beyond the mere learning of facts into the deeper learning of scientific inquiry. And she is always willing to go the extra mile to help students succeed. And let’s not forget, she is also bilingual: English and Spanish. Here is what some of her students said about her:
- “She is preparing us for college but helping us every step of the way. I know that I can always ask for her help and she will gladly give her time and attention to me.”
- “Not only is she super awesome and helpful for kids, but you can tell that she LOVES SCIENCE! One thing I admire about her is that she doesn’t really cut anyone slack, but instead gives them the tools and the support they need to meet their goals. She always validates and answers the weirdest of questions, and is beyond patient and kind. I could talk about my love for this lady all day.”
Here is what a teacher at PHS had to say about Ms. Garff: "Alicia is always looking for ways to improve her teacher and relationships with her coworkers. She is extremely patient and works well with so many students after school. She loves to share her passion for science with her students and is always looking for new and innovative ways to teach it. This year her science Olympiad team did amazing! She is a leader in many different areas of the school and district. She is so easy to collaborate with and is always there to listen or give advice. Her optimistic attitude is contagious! We are extremely lucky to have Alicia at our school."