Speech Therapist Allie Harling, who was named 2023 EGTA Teacher of the Year, working with students at Red Mill Elementary School.
Teaching children is a noble profession that requires many attributes – enthusiasm, patience, empathy, and most importantly, having a love of children. These skills are embodied by Red Mill Speech Therapist Allie Harling who was recently selected as the 2023 EGTA Teacher of the Year.
Earlier this month, Mrs. Harling was surprised with the prestigious award while she was pushing into a kindergarten class for whole class instruction. The award was presented by EGTA President and Goff Art Teacher Alison Hosier.
Speech Therapist Allie Harling, left, was presented with the EGTA Teacher of the Year award by EGTA President Alison Hosier.
“The EGTA believes that the greatest honor a teacher or related-service provider can receive is recognition from their colleagues. The EGTA Teacher of the Year process accomplishes exactly that,” Mrs. Hosier said. “Allie Harling exemplifies so much of what we take pride in in the EGTA: compassion, dedication, sincerity, unity, and commitment. Allie is genuine and caring in all her interactions with the students and community she serves, as well as with her peers.”
Mrs. Harling was so overcome with emotion upon receiving the award that she asked her students to try and make her laugh. They all responded by saying “I love you!” which only made the tears of happiness continue to stream down her face.
“It was absolutely perfect,” Mrs. Harling said. “I was speechless.”
Mrs. Harling has been teaching since 2005, working for the first 14 years of her career at Donald P. Sutherland Elementary School before joining Red Mill in 2019.
As a speech therapist, she works with students, both regular education and special education, in different ways to improve their communication skills. She helps students improve their articulation (how to make sounds properly), language and reading comprehension, vocabulary, whole body listening, direction following and self advocacy skills.
“Allie is truly one of a kind!” said Red Mill Principal Helen Squillace. “Beyond her outstanding work in the classroom and with students, she is one of the most positive people I have encountered in education. Allie is a great resource to our teachers and she is adored by our students. We feel so very fortunate to have her on our team at Red Mill.”
Mrs. Harling pushes into Kindergarten and 1st Grade classes, and the Grades 3-5 Communication Skills class to provide whole class instruction. She also pulls students out of class for individual and group instruction, which also includes 4th and 5th graders.
Earlier this week, she was working with two students from the Grades 3-5 Communication Skills class. They sat at a small table in Mrs. Harling’s office and played ice cream, making all sorts of ice cream sundaes with plastic ice cream scoops, cones and toppings.
“What flavor is that?” Mrs. Harling asked a student.
“Fanilla,” said the student, with Mrs. Harling watching and listening intently.
“Vanilla,” Mrs. Harling responded with clear enunciation as she showed how to make each of the sounds. “Vanilla,” she repeated.
“Vanilla,” the student said to her approving teacher.
More than learning how to make sounds properly to improve speech, though, Mrs. Harling also teaches students to improve social language and how to interact with others appropriately, something she says has become harder for children since the pandemic.
As the students happily played with the toy ice cream, they passed different flavors back and forth all while Mrs. Harling prompted them to use their manners if they wanted something, and to say please and thank you to each other.
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The students love Mrs. Harling so much that some are disappointed when they’ve achieved their goals and are dismissed from speech services. (So far this year, 11 of her students have reached their goals and no longer receive speech services.)
While Mrs. Harling misses meeting with them as well, she is proud to see them grow, and she makes sure to celebrate the small successes along the way.
“They come to me because something is difficult for them so I want them to be proud of themselves, have confidence and just know that it’s a safe place and that they are so loved even if it is hard for them,” Mrs. Harling said. “I just want them to try and be proud of themselves for trying.”
Congratulations to Allie Harling, the 2023 EGTA Teacher of the Year!
EGTA Teacher of the Year Award
2023 Allie Harling
2022 Beth Hart
2021 Audra Di Bacco
2020 All EGTA Members
2019 Maria Fontaine
2018 Scott Siver
2017 Wendy McAlonie
2016 Curtis Sankey
2015 Melissa Gilligan
2014 Nancy Boucher
2013 Monica Blanchfield
2012 Bob Halek
2011 Diana Prout
2010 Jean Decker
2009 Lisa Westman
2008 Linda Kaminski
2007 Peter Zilgme
2006 Christina Rogone
2005 Denise Nahal
2004 The Staff at CHS
2003 Sean Crall
2002 Larraine Gillette
2001 Nikki Carter-Piechnik
2000 Susan Owens
1999 Sally Sroka
1998 Virginia Congemi
1997 Kevin McCann
1996 Mary LaFleur
1995 Linda McCabe
1994 Lynda DeCelle
1993 Denise Poost
1992 Barbara Poole
1991 Kathy DeWeese
1990 Henry Kolakoski
1989 Robert Crosby
1988 Benedict Schaefer
1987 Elizabeth Lyman
1986 Shirley Howard
1985 Carlton Eno
1984 Louise Pearce
1983 Peter Citrolo
1982 Michael Angelo
1981 Marilyn Reeves
1980 Kileen Stone
1979 Edith Cosgrove
1978 Thelma Donahue
1977 Robert King
1976 Jean Burgess
1975 Raymond Gietz
1974 Elizabeth McMaster
1973 Alfred Viola
1972 Bernice Pechenik
1971 Paul Bourgeois
1970 Ruth Herr