NCCU coach Moton surprises Fox Road Elementary teacher with award

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- North Carolina Central basketball coach LeVelle Moton surprised a teacher Wednesday in her class to give her a very special award.

Keisha McNeil at Fox Road Elementary was surprised with the Velle Cares Foundation Award while teaching her fifth-grade class.

She is the second teacher this school year to be awarded.

She was nominated by people who work closely with her and know her the best.

In her nomination letter, she is described as the heart of Fox Road Elementary because of her dedication to the students as well as being a tutor and a step-team coach.

She said it means a lot to share this moment with her students and hopes it inspires them.

"It was really a surprise," McNeil said. "Actually saw another teacher getting recognized the other day, and I was like wow, how does that happen, but then it happened to me."

Moton said she is the perfect candidate for the award because of the impact it will have on the students.

"In order to become what you want to become you got to see it, so I didn't have a lot of opportunities, I didn't have a lot of opportunities to see certain things for certain individuals especially when I was younger, right, and so now interacting with some of those kids and he asking me to sign a poster, it's all coming back full circle," Moton said. "It's magical; that's what it's all about."

McNeil was presented with her award, flowers, and a gift card.