“I felt giddy with excitement and overwhelmed and honored. It’s an amazing feeling,” she said.
Ornes was not at the awarding ceremonies because she was in Japan to attend to some family matters.
“I wish I could have been there. I heard it was wonderful though, it was a really fun event,” she said.
Ornes said the other candidates were also completely qualified for the award.
Asked why she became a teacher, she said: “I never would have pictured myself as a teacher. All through high school and college I was very shy and reserved and hated to be in front of a crowd. I just couldn’t stand it. I was fearful of doing that. But then through other work experiences, especially my work in the Peace Corps, it built my confidence and I decided I really wanted to teach because I felt like I could make a difference. I just love building relationships with my students.”
Ornes teaches physical science to freshmen classes.
“It’s hands-on, it’s engaging and there are so many questions to ask and so many different ways to answer the questions. I really feel that it engages the students,” she said.
This is her 16th year of teaching and her sixth on Saipan.
She enjoys being a teacher.
“I like pushing the envelope, taking the risks and trying to make sure that the kids understand not only the concepts that I’m teaching, but also the ideas of responsibility and integrity as well as to make a difference in all their lives.”
She has this message to the new teachers: “Believe in your students and to listen to them and to get to know them because once you build those positive relationships you can do almost anything. Once they trust you and they know that you trust them it really opens up the doors.”
