Cordley Kindergarten teacher Christy Kelly holds a check for 0,000, which was presented to her Monday by the Lawrence Schools Foundation as the annual Bobs’ Award. Kelly stands with her son, Trey, 8, a student at Cordley. The Bobs’ Award is a teaching honor created by a group of anonymous area civic leaders who share the same first name.

Still in shock, Christy Kelly wept as she stood in front of the Cordley School community Monday afternoon clutching a giant $10,000 check and her second-grade son, Trey.

“I love all of you guys,” the kindergarten teacher said. “And I love Cordley. There’s no place I’d rather be than here.”

Kelly, who has taught 12 years at Cordley, accepted the Lawrence Schools Foundation’s annual Bobs’ Award, a teaching honor created by a group of anonymous area civic leaders who share the same first name.

The foundation gives the winning educator $10,000 to spend however he or she wishes. Kelly shared the moment with the entire school, family and friends as Superintendent Rick Doll and Ron Aul, the foundation’s board president, surprised her with the award.

A long list of people contributed to her nomination.

Principal Scott Cinnamon praised Kelly for her endorsement to teach English as a second language.

“By nurturing links to her students’ backgrounds in positive ways, she creates a more successful learning environment,” he wrote.

When Central Junior High eighth-grader Andrea Stewart was a Cordley sixth-grader, she nominated Kelly for recognition.

“I have been progressing through elementary school, and as I have, she is always there for me in the sense that her passion, her attitude and her smiles are always glowing and positively influencing others around her,” she wrote.

Kelly originally graduated from college with a business degree but was drawn to the classroom. “I wanted to do something more meaningful, and I knew I wanted to do something with kids,” she said.

After volunteering, she knew teaching was for her.

“Kindergarten — I tell everybody, I just told them last week, it’s the best job,” she said. “I get all the love.”