Clinton Primary School teacher Mandy Townsend presents the 2021 Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year Award to CPS classroom teacher Travell Green during the Chamber’s annual meeting May 24 at Hempstead Hall. – Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools

Ken McLemore

HOPE – A classroom teacher at Clinton Primary School who is characterized as being personally invested in the success of his students was named the Hope/Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce 2021 Educator of the Year here May 24.

Travell Green, a fourth-year teacher in the Hope Public Schools, was presented the award during the Chamber’s annual meeting this year in the theater at Hempstead Hall on the University of Arkansas-Hope campus.

A graduate of Nashville High School, Green is a 2005 alumnus of the University of Arkansas – Hope with an AA in General Education. He received a BS in Human Services from Kaplan University in 2017 and took his MA in Education from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia in 2020.

Green was stunned with the announcement.

“The first word that comes to mind is overwhelmed,” he said. “I had to be reminded by my family, friends, and colleagues that I deserved recognition for such a prestigious award.”

Green said teaching suits his aspirations.

“I love teaching, and I have a genuine passion for helping others, and I wholeheartedly believe that God rewards those who put Him and others first,” he said.

Green came to public education from his father’s 40-year career as a teacher-coach.

“I saw the difference that he made in the lives of his players,” he said. “Also, I worked in the ALE classroom as a school-based case manager for many years.”

His experience in the ALE setting brought him to Hope.

“Shortly after being reassigned to the Hope Public School District to work as a case manager, I approached Mrs. Townsend,” Green said. “She showed complete confidence in my ability to become a teacher, and she never wavered in supporting my efforts.”

Mandy Townsend, who also teaches at CPS and was the 2020 honoree, made the presentation.

“His students love Travell’s interactive teaching methods,” Townsend read from the nomination letter for Green. “He invests much of his time outside the classroom to improving his skills and the lives of his students.”

Townsend noted in the reading Green’s creation of The Gentleman’s Club at CPS which teaches social skills to fourth grade boys.

“He uses men from the community as weekly speakers, opens each meeting with a song he wrote about being a gentleman, and allows the boys time to interact with the speakers,” Townsend read.

She noted Green is a highly-recognizable figure throughout the CPS campus.

“He is seen all over Clinton Primary talking with students, laughing, making kids smile and just being a positive role model in every way,” Townsend read.

Green is a community basketball referee, a baseball/softball umpire, pee-wee basketball coach and a motivational speaker in his off time, who is devoutly religious.

“I do not believe that any of this would be possible without God being the head of my life,” he said.