Robin Huggins has been chosen as November’s Golden Apple award winner. Huggins was nominated by Hope Via, last month’s recipient.

“Mrs. Huggins just stood out and one of the students said that she’s all around amazing, and I just had to recognize her for that,” Via said.   

Huggins has been teaching at Starr’s Mill for the past 12 years. Before working at Starr’s Mill, Huggins taught at a middle school for three years. Huggins chemistry, anatomy, and epidemiology here at the Mill.

Huggins’ desire for teaching springs from her love for science. Prior to her teaching career Huggins, worked as a wildlife marine biologist for 15 years. 

“I get to use my knowledge as a person working in the science field to teach kids about science,” Huggins said.

Huggins seeks to be more than just an ordinary science teacher and wants to create a relationship with her students.

“My thing is I really try to make a connection with my kids other than the 50 minutes a day during class,” Huggins said. “I talk to them about what they do outside of class, whether its sports, drama or band, so I try to get to know the kids beyond just being in my science class.” 

While at the Mill, Huggins wants to improve her teaching abilities. One of her main concerns is the use of technology in classrooms.

“I think I want to find a way to continue to incorporate technology because kids are so much more adapted to that,” Huggins said. “I also want to teach things kind of the old-fashioned way so that kids understand that technology is great, but it’s not the end of it all.”  

Every Golden Apple recipient is awarded with $100 that can be used to improve their classroom. Huggins plans to buy an electric pencil sharpener, small white boards with Expo markers, a miniature pencil sharpener for colored pencils, and some scissors to help out her anatomy and chemistry classes.