Melissa Beaulieu has been chosen as February’s Golden Apple winner sponsored by Farmers Insurance.

Previous Golden Apple winner, Sean Hickey, recognized Beaulieu as the new recipient.

“I have heard so many positive things from her students about the way she engages her class and makes the material relevant and interesting at the same time,” Hickey said.

Beaulieu has been teaching for 12 years and she’s been at Starr’s Mill for three. Although she is new at the Mill, her dedication to teaching has not gone ignored. Beaulieu teaches biology and forensics. She is also the girls’ basketball cheerleading coach.

Science has always been a passion of hers, and it can be seen through her work. Her passion for biology has been inspired by nature and the simple but complex life around us. She is eager to share this information with students.

“I just always loved it,” Beaulieu said. “I loved trying to figure out the way the world works and trying to understand why things happen the way they do, so I’ve always had an interest in it.”

Beaulieu’s style of teaching is known as interactive, a characteristic that stood out to Hickey. She is involved with students’ learning and is eagerly willing to help out in class.

“I like to do a lot of hands-on activities, because I feel like students are more interested when they’re actually actively participating in the lesson,” Beaulieu said.

Beaulieu has been awarded $100 by Tim Monihan and Farmers Insurance. Beaulieu has used the money for school supplies such as pencils, scissors, expo markers, and rulers to help improve her classroom’s accessibility. She has also received a gift certificate for a free hair cut from Mane Hair in Peachtree City.