Walt Disney World entrance sign in Orlando, Fla. (iStock)
(Tribune News Service) — A Marine veteran and current educator in Warner Robins, Ga., was recently honored Disney-style for her military service and community involvement.
Jade Thomas was named the Houston County School District’s 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year in July, receiving notice from local media that piqued EverWonder Studio’s interest to feature her in a documentary special that will premiere on ABC Christmas morning and will also be available to stream on Disney+.
Thomas’ efforts were also recognized with a surprise free trip to the Walt Disney World Resort, which will also be featured in the Disney Holiday Special.
“I’m just extremely blessed,” Thomas said. “I don’t do anything for awards or accolades of praise, so it’s just so crazy to think that I’m doing what I love and getting more than I ever even dreamed of ever happening when I first stepped in the classroom.”
From Marine to mentor
Thomas, a fourth-grade teacher at Lakejoy Elementary School, said she has spent the last seven years encouraging students to become creative and critical thinkers.
Despite serving eight years in the Marine Corps, Thomas said she always knew that she wanted to be a teacher, given her natural interest in talking to people and working with children.
“After high school, I knew I wasn’t serious enough to take school seriously, so I decided to try the military out, grow up a little bit and get a little bit more mature to see how it goes,” she said.
Thomas said the transition from Marine Corps to the classroom was smooth, leveraging her military experience to adapt quickly, remain positive during highly-stressful situations and meet diverse student needs.
“On challenging days, I know that my hardest day in the classroom is not compared to the hardest day in the Marine Corps,” Thomas said, emphasizing resiliency and out-of-the-box thinking that she obtained in the military. “There’s nothing or no student that’s ever too big of a challenge for me.”
In 2023, Thomas co-founded the elementary school’s Military Kids Club, which supports and encourages students in service families to socialize.
“They have a way to connect with one another and talk about their shared experiences,” Thomas said before noting that the school received statewide recognition for earning the military flagship school award in April.
Krystal Savary’s daughter, Khloe, is one of Thomas’ students and also a member of the Military Kids Club. Savary believes Thomas deserves all the recognition for her “super loving” attitude, which contributed to her daughter’s academic success.
“As a parent, seeing your child being happy to go to school and knowing that they’re being loved by their teacher, too, is a big blessing,” Savary said. “She also understands the military side of it, which has helped our daughter to be super proud of being a military kid.”
Several HCSD students, including Khloe, will be featured in the film, Savary said.
How passion-fueled teaching led to Disney experience
Thomas said her family was treated like “royalty” on their two-day trip to Disney World, cutting lines, experiencing rides twice and meeting Mickey Mouse.
“Just seeing a little sparkle in [my kids’] eyes and having that time just completely involved in family and not thinking about work or anything else was so awesome,” Thomas said.
While the trip may have been the icing on the cake, Thomas said she remains focused on her true calling — amplifying teachers’ voices and helping young people find theirs.
The documentary will feature Thomas’ family, the Disney World trip, her work in the classroom, the Military Kids Club’s annual parent breakfast event and more.
“I can’t wait to see it,” she said with a smile.
Mark Scott, superintendent of HCSD, congratulated Thomas at the district’s board of education meeting in December and called for locals to tune in to the special.
Thomas said she hopes that the holiday special will inspire others to find fulfillment in their career choices.
“Whatever profession that you’re in, just be about it,” she said. “I know that I wake up every day excited to come to work, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like work. I hope that that is shown through this special — just be passionate about whatever career that you’re in. You have to love it.”
Tune into the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade at 10 a.m. Dec. 25 to catch Thomas’ exclusive.
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