Jill Biden surprises 2021's Teacher of the Year in emotional meeting: "It's so beautiful"

[demmiblue]

A Nevada special education teacher is having her hard work and dedication celebrated in a big way — after being named 2021 National Teacher of the Year, Juliana Urtubey was personally congratulated by fellow educator and first lady Dr. Jill Biden.

"I'm so excited because, you know, Juliana is our National Teacher of the Year, and I'm so proud today to be an educator," Biden said exclusively on "CBS This Morning." "Look at Juliana — I mean, she is just the epitome of a great teacher, a great educator."

Dr. Biden surprised Urtubey in Nevada Thursday with a bouquet of flowers and a certificate to thank her for her contribution to the country's education.

Urtubey, who has called Dr. Biden her hero in the past, was shocked and emotional when she encountered the first lady.

"I was obviously elated. I mean, it's so amazing. And I'm so grateful for a change of tone of positivity, of focusing on education to get our students what they need. It's so beautiful," she said.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jill-biden-2021-teacher-of-the-year-juliana-urtubey/

Link to tweet

So refreshing...

[Botany]

1. Nice to see this.

[snowybirdie]

2. Wow! So nice

Such a caring and thoughtful woman

[Lucinda]

3. ❤️ ✿❧🌿❧✿ ❤️

[a kennedy]

4. And FLOTUS does it because she sincerely means it....

not like the previous thing doing something for tv coverage like her orange piece of shit husband.

[jmowreader]

5. Small error in the voiceover

The teacher of the year has a BA and an MA, not a Ph.D.

I found out a few other things about her.

She was born in Colombia. I couldn’t find when she moved to the US.

She teaches Special Ed.

She is the first Latina Teacher of the Year in seven years, and the first Nevada Teaher of the Year ever.

The school she works in is at least her second. In her previous school, she started an outdoor garden as an educational aid. The kids started calling her “Ms. Earth-tu-bey” as a play on her last name. Now they call her “Ms. Earth.” She says it’s her highest honor.

And she calls Jill Biden her hero, so you can assume she almost had a heart attack to see the First Lady walk through the door of her classroom with flowers for her.

[demmiblue]

6. MORE VIDEO:

Link to tweet

[twodogsbarking]

7. I don't believe I have ever seen a person

as happy as she was when Dr. Jill appeared. Special needs children are challenging and rewarding.

[Lonestarblue]

8. A beautiful young teacher and a beautiful First Lady.

Both care about others, and their beauty is both inside and outside.