(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – The Kentucky Department of Education and Ashland Inc. have selected 24 outstanding Kentucky educators as recipients of the 2011 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards (TAA). These teachers will compete for the 2011 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award, which will be announced next month.
The 24 winning teachers, listed by school district, are:
Beechwood Independent – Julie Rash, Beechwood High
Bowling Green Independent – Sarah Wilder, W.R. McNeill Elementary
Boone County – Tava Roberts, North Pointe Elementary
Bourbon County – Scott Cahill, Bourbon County Middle
Bullitt County – James Darrell Vincent, Bullitt East High
Bullitt County – Joshua Meredith, Mt. Washington Middle
Elizabethtown Independent – Gary Pearman, T.K. Stone Middle
Floyd County – Roy Penix, Prestonsburg High
Harrison County – Catherine Caudill, Eastside Elementary
Jefferson County – Vanessa Wicinski, Thomas Jefferson Middle
Jefferson County – Letisha Young, Stephen Foster Academy
Jefferson County – Jonathan Baize, Central High MCA
Jefferson County – Ashley Forrest, Thomas Jefferson Middle
Jessamine County – Erika Webb, East Jessamine High
Johnson County – Karen Fyffe, Highland Elementary
Knott County – Amanda Ratliff, Knott County Central High
Letcher County – Jason Griffith, West Whitesburg Elementary
Madison County – Paula Adkins, Madison Central High
Marion County – Sarah Martin, Glasscock Elementary
McCracken County – Darlene Cook, Lone Oak Elementary
Muhlenberg County – Kimberly Spear, Muhlenberg County High
Oldham County – Jenn Crase, South Oldham Middle
Oldham County – Stephanie Weaver, North Oldham Middle
Russell County – Donnie Wilkerson, Jamestown Elementary
All 24 teachers will be honored at a ceremony in Frankfort on October 19 in the State Capitol Building. Representatives of the Kentucky Department of Education, the Governor’s Office and Ashland will be on hand to honor the teachers and to recognize the Kentucky Elementary, Middle and High School Teachers of the Year. From that group of three finalists, the Kentucky Teacher of the Year will be named and will represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year competition.
Ashland will present the 24 TAA recipients with cash awards and certificates at the awards ceremony in Frankfort. In addition to their cash awards, the three Kentucky Teachers of the Year also will receive custom-designed glassware commemorating their accomplishments, and all 24 educators will be honored at a special luncheon that day.
The Kentucky Teacher Awards program combines the best elements of the Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards and the Kentucky Teacher of the Year programs. This marks the tenth year the Department of Education and Ashland have jointly honored Kentucky educators.
Judging was conducted in August by a blue-ribbon panel of veteran educators, many of whom have more than 30 years of teaching experience. Applications included information on the nominees’ teaching philosophies, their teaching experiences and involvement in their respective communities, as well as letters of recommendation from peers, students, parents, administrators and others.
Ashland has recognized outstanding Kentucky teachers with its Teacher Achievement Awards since 1988. More than $600,000 has been awarded to nearly 400 teachers of grades K to 12.
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