Windham resident honored as a semifinalist for Maine’s 2017 Teacher of the Year by Linda Griffin

Nesrene Griffin

Windham resident and Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year, Nesrene Griffin, was honored recently at Thomas College in Waterville as a semifinalist for the Maine’s 2017 Teacher of the Year. She was nominated by a fellow colleague and teacher, Amy Favreau.

Nesrene is from Malaysia and graduated in the top 10 percent of her class at Northeastern College in

Boston, earning her degree in Business Administration.

She met and married her classmate, Daniel Griffin of Windham. Upon graduation, they both accepted jobs in and moved to Malaysia. After their daughter, Hanna, was three years old, they returned to Daniel’s home in Windham to raise her.

With few job openings for business majors, Nesrene was open to new possibilities. Hanna’s second grade teacher, Joyce Whidden, suggested that Nesrene return to college and receive a Master of Science Degree in Teaching and Learning from the University of Southern Maine. Taking Whidden’s advice, Nesrene returned to college and once again graduated in the top 10 percent of her class.

Nesrene has taught third grade for eight years in the Lewiston Public Schools in Androscoggin County. She teaches math, literacy, social studies and science. Nesrene is a creative teacher and has earned respect from her students, their families and her peers. 

She collects warm clothing for her students as many of them are immigrants, like herself, and are not used to the Maine winters.

Nesrene also provides books in her classroom that students can take home to share with their families. While she faces many challenges as a teacher, balancing a wide learning gap among her creativity and hard work pay off.
students, her

Nesrene lives with her husband and daughter in their new home on Anthoine Road. She helps with her daughter’s high school activities which include the current play, “The Sound of Music” and the upcoming Chamber Singers’ concerts.