Teacher Appreciation Week

Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Mimi Yang, now a senior, says Betsy Rickenbacker made a lasting impression as her math teacher and coach at LTMS. (Photo: Nema Brewer-Candy)

When it comes to favorite teachers, Bryan Station High School math instructor Betsy Rickenbacker is at the top of the list for several FCPS students. She recently picked up a couple of honors that underscore the difference she’s made for students past and present.

Rickenbacker, who has been in the classroom for 25 years, won the John R. Bryden Great Teacher Award presented by the Lexington Rotary Club. She was also among the school district’s latest honorees in the FAME Awards program, in which graduating seniors are invited to nominate any teacher, coach, counselor or mentor who made an impact on their lives. Selections for both prizes were based on student essays.

“It’s quite an honor for a student you’ve had a long time ago to remember you and say you’re the person who made the biggest difference,” Rickenbacker said. “That’s really what it’s all about.”

Mimi Yang, who first had Rickenbacker as a math coach six years ago during her days at Lexington Traditional Magnet School, helped her former teacher earn both accolades. The Paul Laurence Dunbar High School senior picked Rickenbacker for her FAME teacher and was among three former students who nominated her for the Rotary honor.

In her essay, Mimi wrote recalled Rickenbacker’s “patient personality and her willingness to help those who struggled with her material.”

She continued: “Mrs. Rickenbacker was always available before and after school if anyone needed help; she was willing to do the extra work because she wanted her students to truly comprehend her material, not just superficially learn it. Her educational mission was truly about the students.”

Mimi remains grateful for her teacher’s influence. “I was lucky to have Mrs. Rickenbacker so early in my education,” Mimi said Sunday after the FAME ceremony. “She actually understands the material and can explain it to everybody.”

Rickenbacker said she works to ensure that her students can grasp the concepts on their own.

“On a day-to-day basis, what I love is watching the light bulb come on when I am teaching a difficult concept,” she said. “Many students will complain about the amount of work I give, but then come back later and say ‘Thanks. Because of you, math is now easy.’”

Rickenbacker, who taught eight years at LTMS and now two at Bryan Station, also has a no-foolishness policy.

“I try to make math fun for students in that dry-sense-of-humor way,” she said, adding, “In my classroom, there’s really just one rule: You’re supposed to be on task.”

Michele Luck, a social studies teacher at Bryan Station High who also worked with Rickenbacker at LTMS, described her colleague as mellow but high-energy. “She’s a great lady. She’s fun and open-minded and just goes out of her way to teach, and you can tell she loves it,” Luck said. “The kids respect her so much.”

Rickenbacker, whose hobbies include hiking, knitting and learning the violin, earned her bachelor’s degree from Centre College and her master’s and Rank 1 certificate from the University of Kentucky. Through the years, she has determined that being available for her students is crucial. That’s why she puts in all the extra time, including after school and in the summer.

Rickenbacker’s commitment is also noticed outside her school.

“She’s the kind of teacher who comes early and stays to 8 o’clock at night,” said Natalee Feese, a math specialist for Fayette County Public Schools.

“One thing that’s amazing about Betsy is her kids want to please her,” said Feese, who noted how Rickenbacker found her niche in education and students flourish because of it. “The bar is set high, and it never wavers.”