Diving Into Education: Melissa Matz, Florida Teacher of the Year

For Melissa Matz, the path to become the 2023 Florida Teacher of the Year started at the edge of a swimming pool. “I began teaching swimming lessons while in high school, and one of the first groups I taught were preschoolers,” Melissa says. Day after day, she would teach her young students how to make that jump and discover the joy of swimming. “I loved helping them find their courage by giving them the skills they needed to become swimmers.”

It wasn’t just her students who were gaining a new skill, however. Melissa herself was undergoing her own transformation. The realization dawned on her how much this experience mattered to her. “Every day brought new progress as we practiced their swimming skills. I was able to build their confidence while allowing them to grow and develop new skills.” As her students made waves in the pool, the ripples set in motion in Melissa’s mind: teaching was something she could do for the rest of her life.

Fast forward to 2022, as Melissa took to the stage in Orlando at the Teachers of the Year Gala to accept the 2023 Florida Teacher of the Year. Just a few weeks later, she stepped out onto the field at the Florida State University football game against Boston College on September 24. The first sold out crowd in Doak S. Campbell Stadium in years cheered on Melissa and the Florida Educators of the Year: Carolyn Davis, the Florida Principal of the Year; Stacia Kasper Werner, the Florida Assistant Principal of the Year; Dr. Kamela Patton, Florida Superintendent of the Year; Greg Lyon, Florida School-Related Employee of the Year; and Sarah Painter, the 2022 Florida Teacher of the Year.

L–R: Anastasios Kamoutsas, FDOE Chief of Staff; Carolyn Davis, 2022 Florida Principal of the Year; Sarah Painter, 2022 Florida Teacher of the Year; Greg Lyon, 2022 School-related Employee of the Year; Dr. Kam Patton, 2022 Florida Superintendent of the Year; Stacia Kasper Werner, 2022 Florida Assistant Principal of the Year; FSU President McCullough; Melissa Matz, 2023 Florida Teacher of the Year; FSU First Lady Vartikar; FSU CoE Dean Damon Andrew

As part of being named 2023 Florida Teach of the Year, she serves as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education and meets with teachers across the state. For the next year, she will sit on the board of the Florida Education Foundation as a representative of teachers, attend State Board of Education meetings, work alongside Florida Department of Education staff, speak at conferences, and much more.

While she will be out of the classroom during this time, Melissa still very much feels like a teacher, and in many ways, this experience evokes her time teaching preschoolers how to swim: a chance to cheer on others, find their courage, and jump in. “It means so much to me to be able to share my passion for teaching and my love of encouraging others to learn as well. I look forward to elevating and celebrating the teaching profession and promote the outstanding contributions of other Florida educators.”

Matz with 2022 Florida Teacher of the Year, Sarah Painter, and College of Education Dean Damon Andrew

A PROVEN FORMULA

Melissa teaches seventh-grade math at Lakeside Junior High, located in Clay County. While some students struggle with math, Melissa has found that grounding math in the world around her helps her students make sense of complicated concepts. “I make math relatable to my students, and with every lesson I use real-world applications.” It’s a concept that she learned from her own algebra teacher growing up, and the idea stuck with her as a proven way to help her students.

“Most importantly, learn from others, share ideas and work collaboratively with your colleagues,” she says. As she tours the state, she hopes to do just that, learning what works for others and sharing those ideas with other teachers.

She also encourages teachers to continue to search for ways to reach and instruct students. In her mind, it is important to “be a lifelong learner yourself, building on your craft with experiences and lessons you learn along the way.”

Melissa herself has taken her own advice, participating in professional development seminars through the Florida Department of Education. Melissa doesn’t just preach the idea of lifelong learning; she also lives it. She was recently accepted into the Educational Leadership & Administration master’s program, where she will be offered a tuition waiver as part of Project ElevatED. She follows in the footsteps of every Florida Teacher of the Year since Project ElevatED started in 2019 by coming to the FSU College of Education. Dean Damon Andrew applauds Melissa and her predecessors on their willingness and excitement to continue their education. “When Florida names its teacher of the year, we are proud to be the go-to institution of higher education for the winners,” he says. “While we offer some of the best educational leadership and teacher preparation programs in the country, it is just as much of a delight for our faculty members and students to work alongside such amazing teachers like Melissa.”

TEACHING PASSION

Becoming Florida Teacher of the Year is obviously a major accomplishment in Melissa’s life, yet talking with her, one gets the sense that being a teacher is the greatest accomplishment on its own. “Teaching is more than just a career or profession,” she says. “Teaching is having the hope and belief in a better tomorrow. Being a teacher, I not only get to engage and inspire my students, but I get to grow as a person because of it.”

As rewarding as it is to her to be a teacher, she also understands the importance of education to her students. For Melissa, education is a transformational force in the lives of her students that “will open doors and endless possibilities. It can build new skills that students will use for the rest of their lives.” Ultimately, she believes that “education enables you to pursue your passions and empower yourself.”

That belief drives Melissa to be the best role model she can for her students. “When they are struggling, I find ways to help them. I make it my mission to find the most effective way that works best to help them to succeed. I never give up on my students.”

Regardless of whether they are preschoolers learning to swim or seventh-grade students, “all students need a champion, someone who believes that they can succeed, especially if they don’t believe in themselves,” she says. Florida is fortunate that it found its champion in Melissa to inspire teachers and students alike.