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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 2, 2000

News Release

Countdown To Teacher of the Year 2000

All Four Finalist are NEA Members

Washington, D.C. -- The National Teacher of the Year 2000 will be named next week, and will embark on a year of representing and advocating for the nation's teaching profession. For the first time, all four finalists for this prestigious national honor are National Education Association members. The Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic, Inc., which administer the program, will announce the Teacher of the Year on May 10. Candidates are selected from among the State Teachers of the Year.

"Hats off to all the finalists," said NEA President Bob Chase. "Each of these educators represents the best and brightest in the profession. Together, they have inspired thousands of students, made tremendous contributions to their communities, and made a real difference in children's lives. We are proud to have them as NEA members."

The four finalists are:

Mitsuye Conover -- Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. Ms. Conover teaches social studies at Bartlesville High School in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. A 28-year veteran of the classroom, Ms. Conover began her life in a WWII internment camp in California. A first grade teacher had a profound influence on Conover's life, helping her to learn English and motivating her to learn to read. Today, the Oklahoma teacher is influencing the lives of her students, and is proud of her reputation for having high standards and expecting much from them. "Students will rise to the level the teacher sets for them," she says, adding that her students have never let her down. Ms. Conover recently completed her training for the Bartlesville Literacy Council program in order to help illiterate adults experience the joy of reading.

Margaret Holtschlag -- Michigan Teacher of the Year. A fourth grade teacher at Murphy Elementary School in Haslett, Michigan, Ms. Hotschlag brings her commitment to global education to her students. She is a founding member of Linking All Types of Teachers to Cross-Cultural Education (LATTICE), which brings together local teachers and international students and faculty of Michigan State University to study education and diversity issues. One of her classroom projects involved corresponding with an elementary school in rural Korea via the Internet, resulting in new friendships. The middle child in a family of a dozen children, Holtschlag values the importance of cooperation and looking out for each other -- the same qualities she advances in her classroom. "We are a community of learners, she says, "and have so much to share."

P. Brett Smith -- Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Mr. Smith will be the first to admit that as a child, he was not a stellar student and suffered from a number of learning disabilities, including dyslexia. His experiences helped him as a teacher seek new ways to reach students and help each child become a successful learner. An educator for 15 years, Smith currently teaches music to students in grades 3-5 at O.H. Anderson Elementary in Mahtomedi. A deep believer in community, Smith's students perform each year for area nursing homes and long-term care facilities. After these concerts, he and the children spend time socializing with the senior citizens. "This is when the real learning takes place," he says. Smith was recently named president of the Minnesota Music Educators Association.

Marilyn Whirry -- California Teacher of the Year. A twelfth-grade English teacher at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, California, Ms. Whirry admits that becoming a teacher was not her lifelong dream. Her path to this profession began when she was required to teach an English class in order to receive her Master's Degree. Teaching that first class, she caught the teaching bug, and discovered the "magnitude and magic of teaching." Ms. Whirry has now been at the head of the classroom for 35 years, and has taught more than 4,000 students. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Whirry has worked on standards and assessment development at the state and national level. She has shared her experience with many others over the years, presenting more than 350 workshops for teachers in the areas of reading, writing, standards and assessment.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.