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St. Lucie County Teacher of the Year teaches women's history

Longtime teacher inspiring many through women's history lessons and more
Posted at 7:51 AM, Mar 23, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-23 14:54:00-04

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — During the month of March, Women's History Month, WPTV is celebrating women's history through the decades.

On the Treasure Coast in St. Lucie County, the Teacher of the Year, Anna Babcock, is teaching women's history lessons and inspiring many while doing so.

In one, Mrs. Babcock taught a lesson about American mathmetician Katherine Johnson whose calculations for NASA were critical in the first U.S. crewed space flights. "She's a mathmetician, and I love math, and I'm proud to talk about her and the other women that have made such a difference," Babcock said.

"She teaches really important things like Women's History Month and how to balance equations," third grader Ethan Ricksecker said.

"We can finally learn about women and what they did for America," student Kailani Whittaker said.

Mrs. Babcock is the St. Lucie County Schools Teacher of the Year. "It still hasn't sunk in," she said.

Babcock said she owes the honor to many women who've had a positive influence on her. "I hope I'm a reflection of those that have put so much time and effort into me as an educator, as a parent and as a woman," Babcock said. "Our youth will be part of our future one day as business owners, politicians, employees and employers."

"As a woman, our girls and boys get to see her represent women all over in the education field and really see that they can accomplish anything," Principal at Fairlawn Elementary in Fort Pierce, Heather Ricksecker said.

"Maybe one day, they'll remember that and be part of some type of movement for women and encourage women," Babcock said.

Babcock is third generation local to Fort Pierce, and she's been teaching in St. Lucie County schools for 15 years.