Andrea Rutledge is dedicated to giving Hempfield School District pupils the same kind of encouragement and nurturing she received as a student.

That's a big reason the Landisville Middle School (LMS) ELA (English language arts) interventionist is a PA State Teacher of the Year semifinalist.

"It was an absolute honor and delightful surprise to be nominated by a colleague," Rutledge said. She submitted a resume and three letters of recommendation and answered three essay questions as part of the initial process. Rutledge found out in February she had advanced to the next round.

Rutledge will record a lesson that will be reviewed and judged, and she will be interviewed. The state finalists will be announced in May.

Teacher of the Year is a national competition connected locally to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

As an ELA interventionist, Rutledge provides reading and writing support.

"I think about my own experience (as a student)," she said. "I went from Farmdale (Elementary School) to LMS to HHS (Hempfield High School), and it was such a good ride for me as a student. I've walked these same hallways. I've sat in these same desks. I've had some of these same teachers that my students have. I feel like I truly see them. I hear them. I value them, and because of that connection, I think they are willing to engage with me more deeply. It's meaningful for us all. ... This is my school. It's full circle for me, and I love what I do and that shines through."

Rutledge believes it's her responsibility to do for her students what her teachers did for her. "I've had such a good experience at Hempfield. I'm just paying it forward now," she said. "I had teachers that saw things in me that I didn't see at the time. You nurture it, and as confidence builds, it's realized. I know I'm doing that for students."

One reason she knows about her impact on students is the number of people who have congratulated her after her achievement was posted on the school district's Instagram page.

"It's meant everything to me," Rutledge said. "Former students have reached out to me. It was so unexpected, but it just affirms what we do every day. You don't get that a lot in the day-to-day grind of teaching, so those are just treasures when you hear back from students about how it has helped them along the way. You plant these seeds, and they get watered for years, and then you see it grow later and you hear about it. That's a gift and a blessing."

Rutledge stated the environment at Landisville and the other Hempfield schools is conducive to fostering students' growth. "Education is a team sport," she said. "It takes students and families and colleagues and the community. I have a lot of pride being in this community. That's why I choose to stay here."

Rutledge was eager to return home to Hempfield in 2019 after spending the first 11 years of her teaching career in Lampeter-Strasburg as an elementary special education teacher.

"I think that gives me a different perspective with teaching middle-schoolers. They're just taller than me now," she joked.

Landisville Middle School principal Eli Cox stated Rutledge is worthy of the acclaim. "Andrea is a team player with a genuine desire to help our students, staff, school, and community," said Cox. "When you couple that with her problem-solving skills, creativity, and educationally sound mind, it is easy to see why she was nominated and selected as a semifinalist for the Teacher of the Year Award."