A Macomb County educator known for her ion and unwavering commitment to her students has been honored with an Excellence in Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Lumturje Shuti, is a lead Latchkey teacher at Pearl Lean Elementary School. The school is part of Warren Consolidated Schools.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence in Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Shuti will air this evening.

“Latchkey teachers aid in promoting students social, emotional, and intellectual development,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Mrs. Shuti is a ionate and dedicated educator whose kindness and warmth leaves an impact on her students and their families.  She creates a safe and ive environment which fosters growth and success in her students both before and after school.”

Shuti was attracted to a career in education because of her love for children.

“My love for children at a young age was a big reason why I wanted to be an educator. I was also fascinated with how teaching was portrayed on television and in movies. Teachers making a difference in the lives of the children they teach was very appealing to me.”

Shuti was nominated for the award by a family member.

“As a Latchkey Lead Teacher, Mrs. Shuti exemplifies what it means to go above and beyond for her students. Her dedication, creativity, and comionate heart make her a truly outstanding educator and role model in our community. Mrs. Shuti’s commitment to her students goes far beyond the classroom. She is known for often using her own resources to purchase supplies, materials, and even snacks to ensure her students have the tools they need to learn and thrive. Whether it’s providing craft supplies for an engaging art project or bringing in books to inspire a love of reading, Mrs. Shuti does so selflessly, always with her students’ best interests at heart. Additionally, her dedication is unmatched. She regularly stays late until the last child is picked up, providing a safe, caring, and ive environment for both the children and their parents. Her patience and understanding, even during the most challenging days, highlight her ion for her work and her unwavering commitment to her students and their families. Mrs. Shuti’s impact extends beyond her Latchkey program. She builds strong relationships with parents, fostering trust and communication, and serves as a pillar of for many families navigating busy schedules. Her kind and generous spirit truly makes her an irreplaceable part of the school community.”

Shuti earned an associate’s degree from Macomb Community College. She has been an educator for 30 years, the last five in her current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
• Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
• Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
• Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
• Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.