NEW HAVEN — Good teachers not only educate, but build nurturing and beneficial relationships with their students.

And Judy Browning, a teacher at New Haven Elementary School, described forming lasting relationships with students as the most important part of being a teacher.

Browning has certainly played a large role in helping her students, and was recently named “Mason County Teacher of the Year.”

On Wednesday, parent volunteers along with New Haven Elementary School faculty hosted a surprise party to celebrate Browning’s accomplishment. To honor Browning for winning teacher of the year, the party included congratulations cakes as well as cards, which were made by her students.

“I was surprised and I am grateful,” Browning said of her party.

According to Browning, she was given the Mason County Teacher of the Year award earlier this month. To win the award, teachers must be nominated at the school level, fill out an application and go through an interview process. Browning said she was honored to be named teacher of the year.

“It is very humbling. It’s an honor to represent the best teachers,” she said.

She added that she would not be able to do her job as well without the staff of New Haven Elementary School.

“It’s not all about me. It takes everything to do a great job. We have a great staff here,” she said. “New Haven Elementary is awesome — the kids here are great. New Haven is the best kept secret in the county.”

Beth Foreman, a parent of one of Browning’s former students, described Browning as an excellent teacher.

“As a parent of one of her students she not only gives 100 percent to the class and job, but she goes above and beyond and gives 110 percent,” Foreman said.

Browning said her students are the reason why she continues to teach. She also credited her former teachers for helping her get to where she is today.

“I’ve been inspired by many of my teachers and I had hoped to be an inspiration to others. The teacher I’ve become is because of them,” she said.

Browning graduated from Marshall University and also holds a special education degree. She currently teaches Title I Reading and previously taught both second and third grade at New Haven Elementary School. She also taught at other Mason County schools, including Wahama High School, Beale Elementary School and Leon Elementary School. She said that she was happy teaching at New Haven because she attended the school when she was a student.

“(New Haven) is a great place to work — it’s a team effort,” she added.

As for her future goals, Browning said that she aspires to continue learning.

“I want to never stop learning. I want to be like my students and always learn — that’s my daily goal,” she said.