Pinewood Elementary teacher makes Top 10 in Kelly and Ryan Live’s ‘Top Teacher Search’

An Orlando elementary school teacher who made it to the “Top 10″ of a national teaching competition says it’s not about her.

“It’s not about me. I always tell everyone it’s about the kids,” said Nisha Phillip-Malahoo. “So however I can use this to benefit the lives of my kids, that’s what I want to do. It’s all for the children.”

Malahoo has worked for the last 8 years as a teacher at Pinewood Elementary School. This year she became one of the ten finalists in the “Top Teacher Search” on “Live with Kelly and Ryan.”

Malahoo has gone above-and-beyond for her students during the pandemic by organizing drives for Thanksgiving meals for students, cold weather clothing, and schools supplies. She also invited local police to meet students to foster a better understanding and appreciation.

“The biggest thing was just to try to feed these kids and clothe these kids the best I could,” Malahoo said. “So every community event that I host is centered around giving them food or clothing because that’s what they need right now. They just need some of the things we take for granted.”

Listen to Mrs. Malahoo talk about what got her to be a finalist in the competition:

Cox Media Group