Lamphere educator named county Teacher of the Year

MADISON HEIGHTS — When Shannon Graham noticed her 7-year-old daughter putting on a dress the morning of March 20, the Lamphere High School teacher suspected something was up.

“I’ve seen her dress that way for school maybe, like, once in my life,” Graham said. “So I was a bit skeptical when she put that on.”

It turns out there was indeed a more special occasion: Graham was surprised in her classroom later that morning with the good news that she had been named Oakland County Outstanding High School Teacher of the Year, presented by the Oakland Intermediate Schools.

Officials from the Lamphere district and Oakland Schools — as well as Graham’s own husband and daughter — swept into her room unannounced, briefly interrupting her business management and technology class.

“It was overwhelming to see all that support,” Graham said. “The teachers here are amazing — it would be hard to pick one. So I was surprised, and just overwhelmed.”

While she is a relatively new addition to the Lamphere staff who joined in the fall of 2021, Graham is no stranger to teaching, having been in the profession for more than 20 years.

In addition to business management and technology, she also teaches business law, marketing, web design, and sports and entertainment marketing. But students from outside those classes know her as well, thanks to the DECA chapter she started last year. It’s an after-school leadership program for any students in grades 9-12.

What started with 55 members last year, with eight of them advancing to state championships, has now grown to 76 members, with 14 students qualifying at the state. The program teaches students how to handle different situations in the business world. The competitive activity involves a multiple choice test that accounts for part of the score, and a role-playing scenario before a contest judge that covers the rest.

“We practice role playing, over and over again, during our meetings. We discuss things like how you greet someone, how you close a sales presentation, how you incorporate marketing and business terms, how you create and use visual aids like business cards, ads, or tables and charts. These things are all presented to the judge in the 10 minutes they have, or 15 minutes when students present as a pair. There are all sorts of scenarios, like human resources or business ethics,” Graham said.

She said her approach after teaching for two decades is to treat each kid individually.

“At the beginning of the year, I have a whole spiel about what things I’m into, and then I want to know what they’re into, like any sports or TV shows,” Graham said. “I also try to be very welcoming — we even have the ‘everybody is welcome here’ sign in my classroom. I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable in my classroom.

“I’m very welcoming if someone has different pronouns,” she said. “If someone wants to sit in a certain spot, or not talk that day, I will allow that and not call on them. I know I didn’t like to be put on the spot when I was a kid in school. And I deal with anxiety myself — I’m very upfront about that and can relate to their anxieties. So I say what we’re doing today, but we can always go about things differently if they’re not comfortable about something.”

Graham said that teaching is something she always wanted to do.

“I do it for the students. I’m here for them every day. I feel like I’m making a difference. I like to think there are students I see in front of me every day that may be the next politician or leader. I see beyond what they are in the classroom,” Graham said.

“What I love about Lamphere is it’s so diverse,” she added. “You can look out and see a student wearing a hijab, students with light skin and dark skin, students speaking Arabic or Spanish. And I learn so much from them — so much about different cultures and ways of life.”

In their nominating letters, a mix of students, staff and parents addressed Graham’s impact.

“Mrs. Graham has made a lasting and significant impact on my educational journey, giving me the opportunities to experience different international cultures, different leadership training and approaches, and a wide variety of educational experiences,” wrote student Anthony Goatley.

“Shannon’s dedication, innovation and commitment to student success make her an ideal candidate for Oakland County High School Teacher of the Year,” wrote Marjorie Alexander, chair of Lamphere High School’s career technology education department. “Her contributions will continue to inspire and shape the future leaders who pass through our classroom.”

Erin Ferris is a parent who said Graham has had a positive impact on her daughter.

“Children learn certain skills at home, but their teachers expose them to so much more. Teachers are the ones who inspire, cheer and push them to the next level. Shannon Graham has done that, and more, to make my daughter into the young adult I want her to be.”

Prior to Lamphere, the most recent schools where Graham taught were Brother Rice High (2018-2021) and Bradford Academy (2010-2018). Graham herself holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Western Michigan University, a post-baccalaureate degree in education from Eastern Michigan University, and a master’s degree in library and information science from Wayne State University.

She also has professional teaching certifications in CTE, with a focus on marketing, sales and service, business education, marketing education for grades 6-12, and library media for kindergarten through 12th grade.

Her arrival in Lamphere coincided with schools reopening during the pandemic. While she fully believes in COVID and the necessary precautions, she was happy to see school return to in-person learning right as she joined. She feels that in-person learning is best for students.

She is also a big believer in group projects.

“I’ll put down scissors and glue sticks, and my students get so excited, saying, ‘Oh, my God — we’re going to cut today!’ We do a lot of hands-on activities, which I find takes them away from using online programs like ChatGPT,” Graham said. “Project-based learning is what I’d say is the No. 1 thing I do, which is getting hands on, and not just using devices.”

She said she’s so thankful for the award and wants to thank everyone in the community.

“I have a good support system here at Lamphere. I just love being at this particular school with these particular students, and this particular administration and people that I work with,” Graham said. “I can’t imagine going somewhere else where it would be this perfect.”