Culinary arts teacher Lisa Gilbert was named Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Association of Family and Consumers Sciences on April 7.

Gilbert was nominated by Mary Yeates, a former Culinary Arts teacher at Watkins Mill High School and Gilbert’s current MCPS supervisor. Yeates posted on Twitter and Facebook about all of the wonderful things that Gilbert has done in the Watkins Mills Hospitality Management Program.

Gilbert was surprised to receive the award and said that she was “delighted to accept the award for all [her family and consumer sciences co-workers] that work so hard.”

Senior Melissa Torres was in Europe over spring break when she received the message from Gilbert telling her about the award. Torres was the first person Gilbert told; Torres also plans to continue through the hospitality program after she graduates. Torres said that Gilbert changed her life by “[being] a wonderful and helping [mentor to Torres] through the hospitality program.”

Sophomore Simmi Gonsalves believes Gilbert received the award because she is different from other teachers and that she knows what she wants her students to achieve. “I didn’t think that someone from Montgomery County could win the award out of the whole state,” Gonsalves said. “It [seems] rare.”

Even though Gilbert is a teacher, many of the students see her as their friend, because “She reaches out and [never] judges anyone,” senior Olivia Hill said.

“[Gilbert] gets to know the best in you [rather] than just the worst,” Hill added.

“Gilbert puts anyone before her at any time. Sometimes she pushes you out of love. She only wants [her students] to succeed in life,” Torres said. “She is teacher of the year. I [have] believed that every day since I’ve met her.”

Gilbert said her favorite part about teaching the hospitality program is “watching [her] students grow and become adults. [Gilbert] loves going to a restaurant and seeing a former student, even those who are never going to work in a restaurant there.”

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Lisa Gilbert

The teacher award that Gilbert received