Creativity and a safe environment are the focus for One Class at a Time winner at Toro Canyon

Ms. Tammy Ashworth has been selected as the latest One Class at a Time award recipient. Ashworth has been teaching at Toro Canyon Middle School in Thermal for 20 years.

News Channel 3 and attorney Walter Clark, with the Walter Clark Legal Group, surprised Ashworth during one of her art classes. She's also taught English during her tenure at the campus.

"I've heard from experts that teaching art really helps them learn many other things. They're better at learning mathematics and the rets of the sciences, so you're doing a wonderful job," said Walter Clark.

Ashworth mentioned that as part of her curriculum she and her students infuse English into the work they do. She nominated herself for the award to purchase a new of locks used to keep supply cupboards in her classroom locked.

The locks were broken during a breaking and entering incident by burglars who were after computers in 2013 and haven't been fixed yet.

Ashworth explained that the cupboards need to remain locked for students' security and retention of supplies that she buys year-round, as the the school has not provided supplies for two years.

When asked what keeps her going, Ashworth replied it's her students who keep her going every single day. "I love them. I don't have kids so they're my kids," said Ashworth.

If you know a deserving teacher you'd like to nominate, or you're an educator and would like to nominate yourself, be sure to do so here: https://kesq.com/one-class-at-a-time/#//