Shadow Ridge recently was represented at the professional stage when the amazing Mr. Scott Schultz was awarded the America First Credit Union Game Changer Award at a Vegas Golden Knights game. Schultz was nominated for this award by one of his amazing students.
Schultz said, “I was initially nominated by one of my students, which was a wonderful surprise. After sharing the news with other students in that class, several more students decided to submit nominations as well. It was incredibly touching to see that they felt inspired to support me in this way.”
Schultz found out he won this award when he was joined in his classroom by none other than the VGK Vivas and Chance to celebrate with him and his students. Chance also stopped by to say hi when Schultz was in the building during the game.
“I was genuinely surprised! When everyone gathered to celebrate, I was overwhelmed and a bit speechless,” Schultz says. “Meeting Chance was a lot of fun. Interacting with him added an extra layer of excitement to the whole experience. It was quite a surprise when Chance and the VGK Vivas showed up to my classroom, for me and my students as well. He also randomly showed up in the elevator when we were headed down to the ice for the zamboni ride, and was gracious enough to allow my wife to get a photo with him.”
Not only was winning this award an amazing accomplishment, it also allowed Schultz to fulfil his lifelong dream of riding on a zamboni.
Schultz says. “Riding the Zamboni was an unforgettable experience! Being out on the ice in front of all those fans was amazing. The only thing that could have made it better is if the score wasn’t 4-0 against VGK at that point!”
For Schultz, this award was nothing shy of an awesome experience.
“Winning the award was both humbling and uplifting. It felt amazing to know that my efforts in the classroom have made a positive impact on students. I believe I earned the award by creating a supportive learning environment and always encouraging my students to reach their full potential. Before becoming a teacher, I worked as a software developer for several companies around the world. I have been interested in technology and programming since I was a young child, and I try my hardest to help instill that same passion for tech in my students. I think being in the career path for so long and then teaching it gives me a unique perspective that helps my students understand and relate to the material,” says Schultz.
Of course, being a Shadow Ridge teacher was the first stepping stone to give him the opportunity to get this award in which Schultz has had an amazing experience teaching at The Ridge.
“My favorite part about teaching at Shadow is the incredible students. Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and commitment make every day rewarding. We have some amazing people here at our school! Our faculty and staff here are the best in the business, and I could not imagine being part of a better team. Don’t leave out our administrators either — with their support I have been able to launch a new CTE pathway this year (Digital Game Development) and I think it is going to be a very successful program for years to come. Transitioning from my previous career to teaching has been an experience that has allowed me to grow and better myself in ways that I didn’t know were possible. Shadow has made me a better person,” Schultz says.
Schultz is endlessly grateful for all of his students and fellow teachers who have helped him to become the amazing teacher he is today.
“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all my students who took the time to nominate me, as well as to my colleagues who continually support me. This award reflects the collaborative and positive environment we have at Shadow, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of it,” said Shultz.
