Philadelphia teacher honored on appreciation night at Citizens Bank Park
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's Teacher Appreciation Night at the ballpark Friday. The Phillies will honor 10 teachers from the area for their dedication to their students.
It's the 23rd season the Phillies have honored teachers and this year's group includes a math teacher from Fishtown who is retiring after 35 years in the classroom.
A surprise 35 years in the making.
Math teacher Mrs. Amy McGinley was honored with her own assembly. It was thrown by the Phillies, her students, and fellow teachers, to say thank you.
"Their response was completely overwhelming," McGinley said. The kids, it was just amazing."
Mrs. McGinley was able to share a hug from the Phanatic. But the day was all about her dedication to her students at Penn Treaty School in Fishtown.
"She's just an important person in my life and helped me discover who I am and helped me to get to where I am," former student Erica Brown said.
Brown is currently a senior. McGinley taught her in the 7th and 8th grades.
"She's been one of the highlights of my life to see her become this person is amazing," McGinley said.
In Mrs. McGinley's 35 years of teaching, she taught at four Philadelphia schools. Beginning and ending her career in Fishtown.
"She always stands for what's right even if she's standing alone," teacher Dawn Gooden said.
Gooden nominated McGinley for this special moment. She's one of 10 all-star teachers being honored this year by the Phillies.
"My first day of teaching I was scared to death and she took me right under her wing and the rest is history," Gooden said.
While she knew she was attending Teacher Appreciation Night at Citizens Bank Park, she didn't know the assembly was for her. She's a lifelong Phillies fan but this is the first time she was able to throw a pitch to one of her heroes, Mickey Morandini.
"I remember every coach I had and every teacher I had so congrats to all the teachers here," Morandini said. "You're all special people."
As McGinley reflects on her 35 years of teaching, she holds back tears now that it's time to say goodbye.
"The lives that I touched but most importantly the kids who touched my life and made me a better person," McGinley said. "In the scope of things, it's really overwhelming."
