MY FAVORITE TEACHER AWARD

The NFRW presented the fourth biennial My Favorite Teacher Award to Diana Blake Barnhart of San Luis Obispo, Calif., at the 34th biennial convention in Palm Springs, Calif.

During an awards luncheon honoring the five national finalists on Sept. 29, Barnhart was announced the national winner. She was selected by a national panel of educators from among 14 state nominees. The award was presented by Ronald A. Carcich of Fullerton, Calif., who received the award in 2005 and served as a judge of this year’s competition.

A science teacher at Los Osos Middle School, Barnhart has been a teacher for more than 35 years and has won several other teaching awards, including the California State Teacher of the Year in 2006.

“Diana is one of those extraordinary teachers who is capable of capturing the imagination of her students while maintaining rigor and high expectations,” wrote Edward T. Valentine, superintendent, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, in a recommendation letter. “I have been in her classroom on many occasions, and I have never seen a passive learner in her room.”

Established in 2001 to honor and recognize excellence in teaching, the My Favorite Teacher Award is a key component of the NFRW’s No Child Left Behind program, a grassroots initiative supporting President George W. Bush’s education reform plan. It is presented every two years at the NFRW convention to one current or retired teacher. The application process begins at the local level and includes letters of endorsement and a written essay.

NATIONAL FINALISTS
Five national finalists were chosen from among 14 state nominees. They are listed in alphabetical order below:
  Diana Blake Barnhart
San Luis Obispo, CA
  Charlene A. Coles
Anthony, NM
  Lorrie Hand Graves
Franklin, TN
  Cari Laird Gray
New Braunfels, TX
  Carolyn Kelley
Sandown, NH

STATE NOMINEES
  ARIZONA
Cynthia Ann Coleman of Tucson, AZ, teaches physical education at Palo Verde High Magnet School.
  CALIFORNIA
Diana Blake Barnhart of San Luis Obispo, CA, teaches science at Los Osos Middle School.
  INDIANA
Kathleen G. Nicholson of Greendale, IN, is a library/media specialist at North Dearborn Elementary School.
  KANSAS
Rick Ginter of Emporia, KS, teaches physical education and health at Americus Elementary School.
  KENTUCKY
Sandra Ferris Byrd of Simpsonville, KY, teaches English As a Second Language at Shelby County High School and designs and teaches courses for Kentucky's Virtual High School.
  LOUISIANA
Deborah Lee Fox of Metairie, LA, teaches gifted education at Jefferson Elementary School.
  MISSISSIPPI
Deborah J. Griffin of Laurel, MS, teaches computers and business education at Northeast Jones High School.
  NEW HAMPSHIRE
Carolyn Kelley of Sandown, NH, teaches biotechnology at Seacoast School of Technology.
  NEW MEXICO
Charlene A. Coles of Anthony, NM, teaches language, arts and English at Gadsden Middle School.
  NORTH CAROLINA
Dianne H. Hudson of Oakboro, NC, teaches English at West Stanly High School.
  SOUTH CAROLINA
Marlene Dowd of Taylors, SC, teaches keyboarding at Northwood Middle School.
  TENNESSEE
Lorrie Hand Graves of Franklin, TN, is a teacher at Moore Elementary School.
  TEXAS
Cari Laird Gray of New Braunfels, TX, teaches U.S. history, government and economics at New Braunfels High School.
  WISCONSIN
Jeanie Moore of Marshfield, WI, teaches fifth grade math, language arts and health at Pittsville Elementary School.

NATIONAL JUDGES
The NFRW would like to recognize and thank those who served as national judges of this year's award.
  RONALD A. CARCICH of Fullerton, CA, received the My Favorite Teacher Award in 2005 in Nashville. He is a reading improvement instructor at Buena Park High School near Anaheim and has been teaching for more than 18 years.
  JUDY HENNEBERGER of Harrisonburg, VA, oversees the student teaching program at James Madison University.
  LINDA WHITFIELD of Alexandria, VA, is the director of middle school instruction at Fairfax County Public Schools.

  For more information about this award, click here.