In honor of Teacher Appreciation day, Leighton State Bank awarded Dameon Place of Pella High School with the 2019 Teacher of the Year award. Place was surprised by students, staff, and those with the bank just before class started Tuesday. Pella Jazz students nominated Place, including Annaleigh Babcock, Troy Miller, and Isaac Piersma, and each wrote and read a brief statement sharing their appreciation for Dameon and his impact on their lives. Place is the director of Pella Jazz I, which won its 18th state championship in April, and is also the co-director of the Pella Marching Dutch. Alie Muller-Heit with Leighton State Bank says each year, they try to honor one area teacher for their efforts in their banking market area, which includes several local schools. Muller-Heit is thankful for the chance to meet the student nominators and the teachers who win the award each year. Leighton State Bank made a donation to the band classroom to help offset costs as part of the honor.

“What puts Mr. Place aside from other teachers I’ve had is his absolute passion and dedication to music and educating his students. He works us in a way that we can achieve everything we want, but not feel overwhelmed by the workload, or feel that we can’t participate in other activities like sports. I’ve learned to love the music itself, and I’ve begun to love playing it for the sake of playing it, not for winning competitions. This is 100% because of Mr. Place and the ways that he’s taught us not to focus on competition, but about learning to love the art.” – Troy Miller

“He has helped make us better musicians and better people. No other teacher in my 11 years of school has shown this much passion and commitment to their art form, their students and their job.” – Isaac Piersma

“No teacher has gone so far out of his way to prepare me for the future. He has done more for me than any other teacher I have ever had in my life. And for that, I will forever be thankful.” – Annaleigh Babcock