ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / April 21, 2000

ST. JOHN PARISH – The St. John Parish School Board shines it TeachersSpotlight on two long-time educators for the month of April.

Coach Antoine Edwards has been teaching physical education at West St.

John High School for the past 21 years. An athlete since high school,Edwards got a football scholarship to Grambling University where he worked under the legendary coach Eddie Robinson.

“He is the greatest man living,” states Edwards. “He really taught me a lot.”While at Grambling, Edwards realized that he wanted to stay focused on education in his life. So instead of going off and playing pro ball, he got adegree in education and came back home to teach.

“I have no regrets about it,” said Edwards. “I have a real love for education.”According to Glenda Gaudet, principal at West St. John High School, Edwards,”works well with the students and has gained the support of the parents.”It shows, because not only does Edwards teach and coach, but he is involved with the discipline committee, the crisis management team, and the student activities committee. He also trains students in conflict resolution and peermediation.

After the 1999-2000 basketball season, Edwards was nominated for Coach of the Year after the West St. John High School boys’ basketball team wonthe Class 2A State Championship.

Edwards said that working with the kids is his biggest reward.

“The daily interaction and experience with the kids is the best thing about teaching,” Edwards said. “It’s like reliving my youth and it is a chance for meto give back. I am now in a position to teach what was taught to me as a kid.”Married and with two kids, Edwards concentrates on sports and athletics even in his off-time.

“I do a lot of officiating for the St. John and St. Charles Parish Recreationdepartments,” he said. “Also I try to fish a little, but my time is centeredaround athletics.”Edwards says that teaching is a full-time career, and he advises anybody who wants to go into teaching to, “Be patient, don’t get discouraged, don’t give up and always try to find a solution.”Finding solutions and not getting discouraged are also the guidelines for Toni Ruiz, a 16-year veteran of the St. John Parish public school system.A third-grade teacher at Glade School, Ruiz is an energetic and optimistic person who exudes confidence and compassion.

Robert Schaff, principal of Glade writes, “Ms. Ruiz is an extremely energetic,conscientious teacher that has been instrumental in improving Glade School.”Ruiz didn’t always want to be a teacher. When she first started at theUniversity of Southwestern Louisiana, she wanted to be an architect.

“After my first year at USL,” she admits, “I realized that math was not my strong suit.” She smiled, “My math teacher said that maybe he could give mea ‘C’.”But she also had an alternative career in mind.

“I’ve always had a love of children,” Ruiz said, “and I have a godmother who is a teacher and she really inspired me.”Sixteen years later, she is still teaching and still very much involved in the process of education.

During the past year, she has been very active with a Learn 21 Grant. Theprogram is designed to help kids with reading and writing problems.

Ruiz was given 20 of the lowest performing third graders and asked to see if she could improve their performance.

“We had a goal of getting 10 percent of the kids to improve, and I think I’ve done that,” said Ruiz proudly.

Using exercises like writing descriptive passages, fairy-tales, poems and their own books, Ruiz has gotten these students excited about reading and writing.

“I enjoy interacting with the students,” said Ruiz, “especially in the writing projects. They really spill out their feelings when they write.When I sit down with them, I can tell what their life is all about through their writing,” Ruiz continues, “It is really my favorite thing to do.”The relationship that Ruiz builds with her students is what makes her career so rewarding.

“The best thing is the rapport I build with the children,” she said, “When they accidentally call me ‘mom’ or ‘grandma’, I know I am reaching them. They feela sense of security with you.”Ruiz has been married for 15 years and has “three wonderful girls.” Whenshe isn’t teaching, she likes to play tennis, go shopping at the mall, and sew.

Ruiz comes from a large family, and she loves to get together with her six siblings and their children for big get-togethers.

Like Edwards, Ruiz advises anybody that wants to teach, “Don’t get discouraged, and be sure that you want to be here.”As part of the Teacher Spotlight program, Antoine Edwards and Toni Ruiz each receive plaques the accolades of their fellow teachers for doing such a good job as educators. They also win free dinners at Bull’s CornerRestaurant in LaPlace.

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