Top Teacher: Sarah Puentes

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - We are in a well deserved Christmas Break for our schools, but we would still like to thank our teachers for all that they do.

Meet this week’s WTOC Top Teacher from Effingham County.

Sarah Puentes teaches 7th grade math at Effingham County Middle School.

“My whole purpose in life has been to mentor and push students beyond their comfort levels to be the best they can be in life.”

Puentes has been teaching for two years in Effingham County, after starting her career as a drill instructor for the United States Marines.

“So being a drill instructor, I taught recruits life skills, from there I worked in non-profit I did community outreach, I taught cancer survivor programs, youth programs, sports, then I was furloughed after COVID and that’s where I was lead to be a teacher.”

And now as a teacher, Puentes hopes to help push these students to succeed.

“My goal for my students is really to be the best that they can go. Inside of school as well as outside. Whether it be the first ones to graduate high school, college go into the military. My ultimate goal is for them to reach their fullest potential.”

She says there is nothing better than seeing a student have a break through moment in her class.

“We just had one. The a-ha moment is what we are here for. it gives them motivation and it gives us motivation that we are doing something right.”

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