Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 visited Pittsburgh Public Schools to surprise the WTAE Teacher of the Month for February 2026.Meet the WTAE Teacher of the Month: Watch the video above”That makes my heart so happy,” Alaina Davis said. “I love my job. I don’t really feel like I need the extra recognition. This is, like, the happiest place. I’m happy to come here every day.”Davis uses her love for literacy as a way to connect with students and give them a window into the world around them. A fellow teacher at Phillips K-5 in the city’s South Side described Davis as someone who helps change a child’s trajectory while serving as an advocate and a mentor for colleagues and students in her fourth-grade classroom.”If there’s ever been a person deserving for this award, it’s definitely Mrs. Davis,” Phillips Principal Dana Boesenberg said.”She’s the kind of teacher that parents would want their children to have,” said Anna Tarka-DiNunzio, a second-grade teacher.Davis was also awarded $1,000 from Closets by Design to use on the educational website DonorsChoose.org. It’s the same site where she has found books and bean bag chairs for their “Lit Lounge,” where she encourages them to read.”One of the things I do is try to have everything we need,” Davis said.That often means purchases come from her own paycheck.”My Amazon account. Yeah, it comes from me pretty much,” Davis said. “That’s none of my business how much I actually dumped in. I don’t even check those numbers, but it gets up there.””We keep upgrading our technology. I just got them each a mouse for their computers and headphones, so being able to supplement that is also amazing.”It’s not just school supplies that she provides.”We have a little hygiene station that they can just go to. They don’t have to ask. They can get whatever they need — lotion, Band-Aids. We have cream, hair products, hair ties, glasses wipes — all of those kind of little things they need are up there,” Davis said. “I provide them a snack every day that I purchase.””The students know she goes the extra mile,” Boesenberg said. “She doesn’t only make these connections here in school. She shows up at their events outside of school, sporting events. It goes beyond the classroom, so that is truly something that deserves to be recognized.”To learn more about WTAE Teacher of the Month or to submit a nomination, click here.
PITTSBURGH —
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 visited Pittsburgh Public Schools to surprise the WTAE Teacher of the Month for February 2026.
Meet the WTAE Teacher of the Month: Watch the video above
“That makes my heart so happy,” Alaina Davis said. “I love my job. I don’t really feel like I need the extra recognition. This is, like, the happiest place. I’m happy to come here every day.”
Davis uses her love for literacy as a way to connect with students and give them a window into the world around them. A fellow teacher at Phillips K-5 in the city’s South Side described Davis as someone who helps change a child’s trajectory while serving as an advocate and a mentor for colleagues and students in her fourth-grade classroom.
WTAE
Alaina Davis, WTAE Teacher of the Month
“If there’s ever been a person deserving for this award, it’s definitely Mrs. Davis,” Phillips Principal Dana Boesenberg said.
“She’s the kind of teacher that parents would want their children to have,” said Anna Tarka-DiNunzio, a second-grade teacher.
Davis was also awarded $1,000 from Closets by Design to use on the educational website DonorsChoose.org. It’s the same site where she has found books and bean bag chairs for their “Lit Lounge,” where she encourages them to read.
“One of the things I do is try to have everything we need,” Davis said.
That often means purchases come from her own paycheck.
“My Amazon account. Yeah, it comes from me pretty much,” Davis said. “That’s none of my business how much I actually dumped in. I don’t even check those numbers, but it gets up there.”
“We keep upgrading our technology. I just got them each a mouse for their computers and headphones, so being able to supplement that is also amazing.”
It’s not just school supplies that she provides.
“We have a little hygiene station that they can just go to. They don’t have to ask. They can get whatever they need — lotion, Band-Aids. We have cream, hair products, hair ties, glasses wipes — all of those kind of little things they need are up there,” Davis said. “I provide them a snack every day that I purchase.”
“The students know she goes the extra mile,” Boesenberg said. “She doesn’t only make these connections here in school. She shows up at their events outside of school, sporting events. It goes beyond the classroom, so that is truly something that deserves to be recognized.”
To learn more about WTAE Teacher of the Month or to submit a nomination, click here.