Hershey, Pa. — Longtime Milton Hershey School (MHS) teacher Emily Gallo was honored with the Educator of the Year Award at the 2024 Coalition of Residential Excellence (CORE) conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gallo, who has served as an English teacher at MHS for more than 20 years, was recognized for her dedication to classroom excellence and her tireless efforts to improve the lives of low-income children.
“Education is transformational for the teacher and the student,” Gallo said. “Every year, my students and colleagues help me learn more about myself. I also firmly believe in active participation in learning. I try to make that happen physically, so it translates to the mental and emotional side of education.”
A native of Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, Gallo earned both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in humanities from Penn State University. Gallo believes teaching English is a way to “help people discover themselves.”
Within her classes, she often brings written words to life through games and dramatic performances. For example, her high school students are encouraged to “dance” through their essays.