GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — Tiffanie Deese has been a teacher for only two years. But she’s been part of Gulf Shores Elementary for more than a decade.

“They’re my family.  I started at subbing and then para-professional,” said Deese.

And now a teacher of first graders–a job that all first-grade teachers seem to love.

“Every day I go in–you never really know what you’re going to get.  But, I have seen so much growth with reading and writing this year–especially writing. I mean, they’re so little and they just blossom so fast,” she said

And it has special meaning for her to get to teach here at Gulf Shores Elementary. Deese said, “I mean seriously this is home, this is family–so when I’m not at home, this is where I want to be.”

And she knows it’s not a job that stops when the final school bell rings during the day.  And so does the person who nominated her, who gets to see the ‘other’ part of what teaching is all about.

Husband and Golden Apple nominator Chris Deese said, “It doesn’t stop at 7 o’clock at night half the time and people don’t see that. So that’s what makes teachers in general so amazing. She puts so much heart and passion into not only her daily job but each individual kid.”

Our congratulations to Tiffanie Deese and Gulf Shores Elementary for a job well done.