Area teachers compete for spot in event tied to College Football Playoff

Seven teachers are finalists in a competition to win a speaker spot at the Extra Yard for Teachers Summit in Dallas on Jan. 10 — and they need votes.

The event is tied to the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship, which will be held Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

The free summit will celebrate 800 teachers with a line-up of speakers and performers to cheer them on as they begin the second half of the school year.

Teachers were invited to tell their story about life as an educator on video, audio, in writing or through visual illustration as part of the I Teach Project, an initiative that captures the stories of teachers everywhere.

The seven finalists will vie for a speaking spot at the summit through an online voting competition. Click here to watch the finalists’ videos and to vote. The contest runs through Wednesday.

The summit is from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and attendees must register online here. It will be held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Ballroom D, 650 S. Griffin St. in downtown Dallas.

The finalists are:

*Dallas ISD – Katey Batey, S.S. Conner Elementary School (My World of Teaching)

*Dallas ISD – Thom Browne, Quintanilla Middle School (I Teach Because…)

*Parish Episcopal School – Jennifer Makins (My Experience Teaching)

*Plano ISD – Greses Perez (Why I Teach)

*Princeton ISD – Eric Lockman, Princeton High School (House of Success)

*Richardson ISD – George Hademenos, Richardson High School (What Teaching Means to Me)

*Rockwall ISD – Cheri Grimes (My Teaching Story)