FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Susie P. Gonzalez

Susie.Gonzalez@Trinity.edu

March 4, 2010

Trinity University to Honor Exceptional Teachers in the Region

SAN ANTONIO – A total of 19 exceptional teachers in the San Antonio area have been chosen as distinguished educators and finalists for the 2009 Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching that recognizes outstanding performance in public education.

The distinguished educators will be honored at a reception at 4 p.m. Monday, March 8, in the Great Hall of the Chapman Center on the Trinity University campus. Trinity sponsors the award along with the H-E-B Grocery Co. and the San Antonio Express-News.

The distinguished educators were nominated by area school districts for their commitment and passion to education. Among the criteria for inclusion on the list is outstanding classroom performance, leadership in the school and school district, leadership in the education profession, and outstanding community service.

The finalists are:

Lorena Bailey, English as a Second Language and bilingual teacher, McAuliffe Middle School, Southwest Independent School District	Cassie Boatwright, reading specialist, Lackland Elementary School, Lackland Independent School District.	Michael Boehme, sixth-grade English teacher, Kitty Hawk Middle School, Judson Independent School District	Mary Lee Campbell-Towell, pre-kindergarten though fifth-grade music teacher, Charles L. Kuentz Jr. Elementary School, Northside Independent School District	Melissa D. Dean, fourth-grade inclusion teacher, John A. Sippel Elementary School, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District
Sarah Ford, PPCD GET SET autism program teacher, Smith Elementary School, San Antonio Independent School District	Jill Gable, ninth-grade through twelfth-grade theater arts teacher, South San Antonio High School, South San Antonio Independent School District	Belinda Garcia, algebra I pre-AP, geometry pre-AP, and 8th grade math teacher, Boerne Middle School South, Boerne Independent School District	Gary Henson, special education teacher, Jewel Wietzel Center, Harlandale Independent School District	Mary Diane Hogan, sixth-grade social studies teacher, Randolph Middle School, Randolph Field Independent School District
Jean M. Karst, physics teacher, Somerset High School, Somerset Independent School District	Rachel Kaspar, kindergarten teacher, Arlon Seay Elementary School, Comal Independent School District	Laura Lamoureux, state compensatory education teacher for at-risk students, Fort Sam Houston Elementary School, Fort Sam Houston Independent School District	Jane F. Mansueto, English IV and creative writing teacher, Academy of Creative Education, North East Independent School District	Roxanna Montes-Bazaldua, fifth-grade bilingual teacher, Woodridge Elementary School, Alamo Heights Independent School District
Armando Sanchez, physics and astronomy teacher, Southside High School, Southside Independent School District	Gregory Schwab, science teacher, Pleasanton High School, Pleasanton Independent School District	Mary Steen, sixth-grade math and grade recovery teacher, Heritage Middle School, East Central Independent School District	Jennine Zeleznik-Zepeda, seventh-grade Texas history teacher, Brentwood Middle School, Edgewood Independent School District

Since 1982, Trinity’s department of education has honored public school teachers in the greater San Antonio area with the Trinity Prize. Recipients of the Prize will each receive $2,500 and a crystal apple. A panel of San Antonio business and community leaders will select the winners.

The winners of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching will be recognized at a ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday, April 16, in the Ruth Taylor Recital Hall. Also during the April 16 ceremony, the 2009 National Teacher of the Year, Anthony Mullen, a ninth-grade through twelfth-grade special education teacher at an alternative education branch of Greenwich High School in Greenwich, Conn., will deliver the Kappa Delta Pi lecture for outstanding educators. 

For more information, contact Trinity’s department of education at 210-999-7501.

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