Henrico's Top Teachers

Amanda Hach was drawn to history as a student because of the stories it tells.

“At its most basic, it is just people who wanted to change things and impact their communities who found their power and made it happen,” she said.

Her description – though befitting the subject she teaches at Glen Allen High School – might as well be applied instead to her own efforts at the school, which go far beyond the classroom.

Five years ago, during a planning period, Hach was working with some of her U.S. history students who needed extra help and guidance when an assistant principal happened by.

“He said, ‘This is great – lots of students might need a little extra assistance and a community that is supportive, so why don’t we make it into something official?’”

Thus was born the Student Transformation and Empowerment Project (or STEP), which pairs underclassmen with upperclassmen in a unique model of mentorship and collaboration.

A total of about 25 to 30 freshmen and sophomore students are paired with a similar number of juniors and seniors through two sections of the elective course. Each section meets three days a week for 85 minutes at a time; students begin each period by spending 15 minutes discussing their successes and challenges, then work collaboratively in pairs for the rest of the period, tackling assignments and homework from their other courses.

But the most significant part of STEP to Hach isn’t the academic benefit – it’s the social one.

“We really built this kind of community atmosphere where we all help each other,” she said. Mentors provide guidance to mentees not just about school work but about high school in general – and frequently learn something from their mentees at the same time.

The process cuts through cliques and other dividing lines that might otherwise have kept the students from interacting and becoming friends, said Hach, a graduate of Godwin High.

“We’re way more alike than we realize, but it takes being around not- your-normal friend group to realize that,” she said.

After Hach and fellow Glen Allen social studies teacher Caitlyn Carpenter started the program four years ago, Freeman and Hermitage High School also implemented similar versions of it at their schools. Hach has had discussions with Henrico Schools officials about possibly expanding it countywide. And, she said, former mentors have gravitated to similar programs once they enter college.

“It’s kind of cool to see the ripple effect,” Hach said. “I am in awe of it, honestly. It’s such a privilege to watch it work.”

Hach’s passion for teaching and for the students whose lives she impacts has not gone unnoticed.

“Her dedication to her students in their success is unmatched and is truly inspiring to witness,” a colleague wrote in a nomination letter. “Whether it be through her work as the AP United States History teacher for the Center for Education and Human Development, or her tremendous efforts with the Student Transformation and Empowerment Project . . . she is continually helping students of all ages and all performance levels reach their fullest potential.

“As a former mentor in the STEP program, I can testify first-hand that Ms. Hach’s dedication to the success of her students through this program is unlike anything I have ever seen in a teacher before. Not only does she care about their academic success, but she truly cares about their overall well-being.”

To hear Hach tell it, though, she’s gained just as much from her students as they have from her.

“My students have made such an impact on the way I see the world, and I am eternally grateful for that,” she said.