MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — This week, Miami-Dade County Public Schools will name its Teacher of the Year. Four finalists are in the running -- and each one brings a powerful story.

One of them is Chef Gary Spitnale, who teaches at Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College. Spitnale loves to create, loves kids and quickly realized retirement wasn’t for him.

After a year of slowing down in the Florida Keys, he returned to the kitchen -- this time as a teacher. Nearly 19 years later, he says his students are the reason he keeps going.

“What drives me? The students,” Spitnale said. “They make me laugh every day. I tell them if you’re going to make mistakes, make them at school, so when you go out into the field, you won’t make them there.”

At Dr. Frederica Wilson/Skyway Elementary, language arts teacher Julia Pennington-Gilchrist says teaching is deeply personal.

When she was 16, her mother died and she found herself homeless. Teachers stepped in and changed her life. Now, she’s doing the same for her students.

“I think my energy comes from my students,” she said. “They give it to me. They keep you young. They keep you excited. They keep you passionate about what you do. So if I have the energy, they’re going to bring the energy too.”

Dale Adamson never planned to become a teacher. He once thought medical school was his future. But after taking a substitute teaching job, he discovered a love for STEM education.

Now, Adamson teaches robotics at McMillan Middle School. What started as a small club has grown into a program with more than 200 students. He also teaches alongside his mother and sister.

“All three of us are passionate about working with the next generation,” Adamson said. “They are ultimately going to be our future and teaching them how to work independently is a really important part of that.”

At South Miami Middle School, social studies and civics teacher Robert Rabelo says there’s never been a more important time to teach the Constitution and civic responsibility.

The son of Cuban immigrants, Rabelo became emotional when asked what motivates him.

“I wake up every morning with one purpose -- to honor my mother and father,” he said. “I don’t have them anymore, so I tell them if you’re happy with the teacher you have, thank my mom and thank my dad.”.”

Miami-Dade will announce its Teacher of the Year this Wednesday. Broward County Public Schools is set to name its own Teacher of the Year on Feb. 6.

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