Keith Noyes, of Laconia, New Hampshire, is a fifth-grade teacher at Belmont Middle School. He has been a teacher for 18 years and has been in his present position for six years.

Noyes has been fortunate to be able to teach subjects that he loves including science, math, and writing. While they have their own unique challenges as subject matters, each is enjoyable and allows for great creativity.

Preserving and working toward a positive school culture is critical to teachers and students and is one of Noyes’ core beliefs. He believes it is these everyday moments of how students treat one another that makes teachers begin to see that the results of their labor are working. He created the acronym CARE - compassion, acceptance, respect, empathy - to give students a theme and purpose while performing information research projects. Noyes also helped organize and implement “mix it up days” at lunch so students would interact with other students they didn’t know. He has encouraged students to organize a food drive – Gobble Wobble – to help others in their community. Last year, more than 4,000 pounds of food was donated to a local pantry. Students also raised money for Make-A-Wish as part of a persuasive writing assignment.

Noyes holds a Bachelors in Elementary Education and a Masters in Reading and writing from Plymouth State University. He has also worked with the New Hampshire Department of Safety, in its Marine Patrol division, and has been a GED teacher at the Belknap County Jail.