Three Camden teachers get $5,000 each during surprise visits amid tears and cheers

Fourth-grade teacher Erica Nelms was reviewing math problems with her students when a small entourage unexpectedly filed into her classroom Friday.

Then the language arts teacher at KIPP Lanning Square Primary burst into tears when Jonathan Garr from the Camden Education Fund announced that Nelms had been selected for a $5,000 award from the nonprofit.

As cheers erupted in the classroom, Nelms, pregnant with her first child, bent over, hugging her belly. Tears streamed down her face. A student shouted, “That’s my teacher!”

“I love my kids. I love my school,” Nelms said. “It’s good to be recognized when you work hard and pour your heart into something.”

Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen quipped, “I was like `Oh, Lord, don’t go into labor on us.’” He presented Nelms with the check and a certificate from the city.

The scene was repeated two more times at presentations to the other recipients across the city. At each stop, the winners were asked to share their plans for the prize money — and encouraged to spend it on themselves.

This is the third year that the Camden Education Fund has given the RISE Award to outstanding teachers. School principals nominated 50 candidates and an outside committee narrowed the field to eight finalists and then three winners, said executive director Giana Campbell.

An educator for 10 years, Nelms was nominated for the RISE award by school principal Brittany Middleton. Nelms has taught three grade levels, mentors new teachers, and all of her 60 students have moved up at least one reading level, she said.

“She’s the best teacher,” said her student Ryan Garner, 10. “I love her to death and I’m very excited for her.”

Nelms said she would likely use the award money to complete a nursery for her baby, a boy due in July.

“There is no more important responsibility than educating, caring for, and guiding our youth,” Campbell said in a statement.

Across town at the Creative Arts High School in the city’s Parkside section, Iran Mercado was teaching a lesson from To Kill a Mockingbird when his entourage arrived. His students shouted as Mercado, 31, choked back tears.

Mercado, a Camden native, graduated from Creative Arts in 2010 and fulfilled his dream to return to teach in his hometown in 2016 after graduating from Howard University.

His former principal Davida Coe-Brockington, now his boss, applauded him for his commitment to Camden and giving back to his students.

“It is absolutely awesome. I am so honored and proud to be standing with him today,” she said.

Mercado said he planned to give a portion of the award to his church, Little Rock Baptist Church in Camden, and do something special with his wife, Sharee, and their two young children.

“It’s just God showing me that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be and I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing,” he said.

Mercado told the class of freshmen and sophomores that he still planned to give them a quiz on the book next week, despite the interruption in the lesson.

“I love this book,” said Journey Jackson, 16, a 10th grader.

Students in Reyna Sosa-Gomez’s English language arts class at Mastery Molina Upper Elementary School in North Camden tossed sparkly confetti in the air to celebrate her RISE Award.

A bilingual special education teacher, Sosa-Gomez is an asset in the Renaissance school where about 70% of its students are Latino, said principal Rickia Reid.

“Kids just love her,” said Reid.

Eighth grader Rosalee Bey, 14, nominated Sosa-Gomez.

“She’s different from all the other teachers,” Bey said. “She deserves it.”

Sosa-Gomez, 35, who grew up in Bensalem, came to the school two years ago after working in Las Vegas. She has been teaching for five years.

Sosa-Gomez said she planned to treat her students to Chick-fil-A, give a portion to her teacher assistant, Giovanna Watson, purchase a pair of Jordan sneakers she has been eyeing, and save some for school supplies next year.

“This is exciting,” she said.