INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — WISH-TV celebrates extraordinary teachers in central Indiana with the WISH-TV Golden Apple Award.

New this year, the award comes with a $2,000 cash prize from Western Governor’s University (WGU), a trophy, a school supply shopping spree to Teachers’ Treasures, and a surprise visit from the News 8 team with help from WGU Indiana.

• Nominate a deserving teacher for the Golden Apple Award!

September’s Golden Apple Award winner is Miss Sydni Jennings. She’s a Spanish teacher at Lawrence North High School, who grew up learning Spanish in Lawrence Township.

Jennings also the sponsor of the Spanish Honor Society, helps lead GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Science, and Math), and recently wrote a book on daily devotions.

She is currently working on a master’s degree to help English-language learners.

Jennings is so loved as a teacher that without communicating or coordinating, six current and former students nominated Jennings for the WISH-TV Golden Apple Award.

“Everybody literally loves Miss Jennings,” Coleman Reynolds, 16, said. He’s currently a junior at Lawrence North, but had Jennings as a freshman in Spanish. “I definitely learned a lot in her class. A lot of life lessons outside of just Spanish,” Coleman said. “She’s more like a big sister. She’s very open, she’s very honest and she’ll tell you like it is.”

Cajayla Williams is a 17-year-old senior who’s known Jennings since her freshman year after she joined the GEMS (Girls in Engineering Math and Science) club, which Jennings helps run. She says she always went to Jennings’ class because “she became her safe space.”

“She’s like a sister to me — for real — she just cares so much about me and I love her,” Cajayla said.

“She’s amazing. She’s so generous and kind she’s just a beautiful human being,” 17-year-old Diana Valadez said.

She’s a senior who is fluent in Spanish, and credits Miss Jennings for teaching her new things in a subject where she is well versed.

When asked why she nominated Jennings for the Golden Apple Award, Diana said, “She’s the only teacher that I could personally say that has been here for me and has helped me grow as a student through my high school career. So, yeah I would nominate her as many times as I possibly could.”

Coleman added, “She’s always supporting me inside and outside of school and I just want her to feel my love the best way I know how to give it. So, why not nominate her for an award?”

“She is awesome. Even from her very first year of being a teacher, she was a spitfire. She was doing everything she could for kids, the background of every decision that she made was in the best interest of the students sitting in front of her and of the students in the school as a whole,” Moen said.

Each student has their own story of how Miss Jennings changed their lives.

From helping them succeed in Spanish, to empowering them with confidence, or simply being a friend when sitting alone at lunch, Jennings understands the students.

Carolyn Moen, the world language department chair at the school, has worked with Jennings for four years.

She says the data shows that since Jennings started teaching four years ago, more students are moving into the next level of Spanish.

“She makes the time – that’s the thing. She is willing to work after hours. She’s willing to work on the weekends and do what she needs to do to better herself and better her career – so that she can then better serve her kids in our community,” Moen said.

Spanish immersion teacher Gema Camarasa knows Jennings well. She was Camarasa’s student in middle school, her student teacher in college, and now the two are colleagues.

“She’s very humble. Her heart is really pure and you know you can count on her for anything,” Camarasa said. “I’m super proud of her.”

Those her nominated Jennings all agree – she’s a light at Lawrence North, shining brighter each year, deserving the love she gives in return.

So, during Homecoming week on “Tacky Tourist Tuesday,” Hanna Mordoh, WGU, and the News 8 team went to surprise Miss Jennings.

After receiving the $2,000 check, Jennings said, “I don’t have any words,thank you.”

Once the cameras turned off she burst into tears of joy, learning that six students nominated her for the award.

“I’m grateful… I didn’t come into this profession just to come into it. It is really truly I believe is my calling. Every student I come into contact with I am just grateful. Even if it is one conversation or one hug, that I get to experience that with them,” Jennings said.

When asked what keeps her going day in and day out, she said, “First and foremost is my relationship with God. I don’t do anything without him. And then, like I said, the colleagues that I have. The people who pour into me to keep my cup full so I can pour out to all of them.”

She hopes fellow educators can learn from her story. “(I hope they learn) to keep going, you know? To listen to your heart. To keep going if you know this is what you are supposed to do. Whatever aspect that might be. Keep going and continue to give love.”

Because no matter what language you speak, showing that you care, having compassion, and learning the language of love is what matters most.

To watch other Golden Apple Award recipients, click here.

To nominate a deserving teacher for next month’s Golden Apple Award, submit a detailed nomination here.