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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

President Obama, Dr. Jill Biden to Honor Teachers of the Year

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, President Obama will honor the 2012 National Teacher of the Year and finalists, thanking them for their hard work and dedication each and every day in the classroom.  Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will also attend the event.  The President believes that the education of our children is critical to our nation’s success as we compete in a 21st century global economy.  We must make the investments in education and continue to inspire innovation, raise graduation rates, and ultimately out-educate our global competitors. 

On Monday afternoon, Dr. Jill Biden, an educator for more than 30 years, will host a reception honoring the 2012 National Teacher of the Year finalists at the Vice President’s Residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, DC. This is the fourth year in a row that Dr. Biden will host this group of accomplished teachers at the Naval Observatory. Portions of this event will be pooled press.

The National Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the State Teachers of the Year by a national selection committee representing the major national education organizations organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The 2012 State Teachers of the Year:

Alabama
Gay Barnes
Horizon Elementary School
Elementary, 1

Alaska
Cara Heitz
Cordova Jr./Sr. High School
Science, Health, 7-12

American Samoa
Lita Marie Timoteo

Tafuna Elementary School
American Samoa Department of Education
Mathematics, 6

Arizona
Kristie Martorelli

Thompson Ranch Elementary School
Reading Interventions, K-3

Arkansas
Kim Wilson

Monticello High School
Visual Arts, 9-12

California
Rebecca Lynn Mieliwocki

Luther Burbank Middle School
English, 7

Colorado
Kristin Donley

Monarch High School
Science, 9-12

Connecticut
David Bosso

Berlin High School
Social Studies, 9-12

Delaware
Amber Augustus

John Bassett Moore Intermediate School
Math, Science, Social Studies, 5

Department of Defense Education Activity
Angela Wilson

Vicenza Middle School
Language Arts, Forensics, 7

District of Columbia
Perea Brown-Blackmon

Langdon Educational Center
Elementary, 3-4

Florida
Alvin Aureliano Davis

Miramar High School
Music, 9-12

Georgia
Jadun O. McCarthy

Northeast High School
English/Language Arts, 9-12

Hawaii
Chad Miller

Kailua High School
Language Arts, 10-12

Idaho
Erin L. Lenz

Winton Elementary School
Reading, K-5

Illinois
Josh Stumpenhorst

Lincoln Junior High School
Language Arts, Social Science, 6

Indiana
Melanie L. Park

Riverview Middle School
Reading Remediation, 6-8

Iowa
Charity Campbell

Norwalk Middle School
Physical Education, 6-7

Kansas
Tiffany Richard

Olathe East High School
AVID Program, Biology, Chemistry, 9-12

Kentucky
Kimberly Shearer

Boone County High School
English, 11

Louisiana
April Jessup Giddens

Natchitoches Magnet School
Reading, English Language Arts, 6

Maine
Alana M. Margeson

Caribou High School
English, 10-11

Maryland
Joshua Parker

Windsor Mill Middle School
English/Language Arts, 6-12

Massachusetts
Adam Gray

Boston Latin School
Mathematics, 9-12

Michigan
Paul Galbenski

Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southeast
Business/Marketing/Career and Technical Education, 11-12

Minnesota
Katy Smith

Early Childhood Family Education at Goodview
Parent Education, all levels of students

Mississippi
Birdette Hughey

Greenwood High School
Algebra, 9-12

Missouri
Kristen C. Merrell

Lee's Summit Elementary School
Elementary, 3

Montana
Thomas A. Pedersen

Capital High School
Biology, 11-12

Nebraska
Luisa Palomo Hare

Liberty Elementary School
Elementary, K

Nevada
Deanna LeBlanc

East Valley Elementary School
Elementary, 4

New Hampshire
Bethany Bernasconi

Windham High School
Biology, 10-12

New Jersey
Jeanne M. DelColle

Burlington County Institute of Technology
History, 9-11

New Mexico
MaryBeth Britton

Pecos High School
English, 9-12

New York
Kathleen Ferguson

Jessie T. Zoller Elementary School
Elementary, 2

North Carolina
Tyronna M. Hooker

Graham Middle School
Social Studies, Special Education, 6-8

North Dakota
Brenda M. Werner

Bismarck High School
English Language Arts, 10-12

Northern Mariana Islands
Jonathan Pangelinan Cabrera

Saipan Southern High School
English/Language Arts, 12

Ohio
Timothy M. Dove

Phoenix Middle School
Social Studies, 7

Oklahoma
Kristin Shelby

Sallie Gillentine Elementary School
Elementary, 4

Oregon
Elena García-Valasco

SEIS@Roosevelt Campus
Spanish Language Arts, 9-12

Rhode Island
Julie Lima Boyle

Coventry High School
English Language Arts, 12

South Carolina
Patti J. Tate

Northwestern High School
AP English, 11-12

South Dakota
Patrick Moller

Mitchell Middle School
Mathematics, 7

Tennessee
Byron Booker

Knox Central High School
ESL, 9-12

Texas
Karen Ann Morman

J. W. Webb Elementary School
Literacy, 2-5

Utah
Leigh M. VandenAkker

East High School
Social Studies, 9-12

Vermont
Tong J. Chen

Leland and Gray Union Middle and High School
Chinese, 7-12

Virgin Islands
Nneka Howard-Sibilly

Charlotte Amalie High School
AP Biology, 12

Virginia
Margaret A. Smith

Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation
English, 8

Washington
Mark Ray

Skyview High School
Library Information and Technology, 9-12

West Virginia
Robert Morris

Clay County High School
Agriculture, 9-12

Wisconsin
Bradley A. Markhardt

Black River Falls High School
Agriculture Education, 7-12

Wyoming
Herbert Brent Daly

Campbell County High School
Science, 11-12