It would be hard to deny that Maureen Morse has an impact on her students.

This year, the chemistry teacher at Kempsville High School has been honored with accolades from former students attending two of the country’s most esteemed universities.

Robert McGehee, a former Kempsville High School student, was named a Merrill Presidential Scholar this year at Cornell University for graduating in the top 1 percent of his class. Cornell honors its Merrill Presidential Scholars with a special program, where students are encouraged to invite a teacher who impacted his/her education.

McGehee selected Morse.

“Ms. Morse acted as an enthusiastic, knowledgeable guide into the mysterious world of science,” McGehee wrote. “Almost every other class was a new, lively experiment. I still have a Starbucks bottle I silver-plated during one experiment. Although I decided to pursue physics, her class was a catalyst for my developing scientific curiosity.”

For being selected, Morse was flown to Ithaca, New York, to participate in two days of ceremonies. In addition, a scholarship in her name was given to a local student attending Cornell.

However, the celebrations did not stop there.

Hot off the heels of her trip to New York, Morse was named a recipient of the 2014 Yale Educator Award by the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Morse was nominated for the award from Matthew Wrocklage, another one of Morse’s former chemistry students and Kempsville’s valedictorian last year.

According to the Yale website, the Yale Educator Recognition Program recognizes outstanding educators from around the world who support and inspire their students to perform at high levels and to achieve excellence. Morse was one of 306 nominees, representing 39 states and 20 countries.

She ended up being one of just 53 teachers and 30 counselors selected to receive the award.

For those who know Morse, these recognitions come as no surprise.

“Maureen’s classroom is alive with inquiry and rigor. She works hard and she gets her students to work hard for her,” said William Harris, principal of Kempsville High School. “She lives the old adage that genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration…Maureen deeply values her students and would do anything to help them. They in turn would do anything for her. It’s a winning combination all around.”