MUSKEGON — Quinette Yarbrough of Muskegon Public Schools has been named this week’s Michigan Lottery Excellence in Education winner.
A letter from Yarbrough’s nominator praised her commitment to fostering a positive learning environment and said her innovative approach to teaching made her a deserving candidate for the recognition.
Yarbrough said she builds relationships with students by engaging with them beyond the classroom, including spending time with them in gym class and outside.
“Teaching is not just in those four walls, teaching is building a relationship with my students,” Yarbrough said. She said when students see she is willing to play with them and be competitive, they engage more, have better conversations and open up.
Yarbrough received a $2,000 check from the Michigan Lottery.
The Excellence in Education Awards are sponsored by the Michigan Lottery, which it said has provided more than $29 billion to public education since 1972.