Monica Nelson Academics Coach Nelson keeps the players focused on their academic excellence. She requires all of her athletes to perform well on an individual basis and as a team, having the academically stronger players tutor and mentor struggling teammates. Her successful model for motivating students and helping them to achieve higher than they thought possible has earned her several awards, including being named Avondale's Teacher of the Year in 2009 and as the 2008 Decatur/Dekalb STAR Teacher by the Dekalb Chamber of Commerce. She currently holds the record for the Highest Passing Percentage of students for the AP History Exam at Avondale and was a finalist for DeKalb County's Teacher of the year in 2007.