President Obama, Dr. Jill Biden to Honor Teachers of the Year

Washington, DC — On Tuesday, President Obama will honor the 2012 National Teacher of the Year and finalists, thanking them for their hard work and dedication each and every day in the classroom. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will also attend the event. The President believes that the education of our children is critical to our nation's success as we compete in a 21st century global economy. We must make the investments in education and continue to inspire innovation, raise graduation rates, and ultimately out-educate our global competitors.

On Monday afternoon, Dr. Jill Biden, an educator for more than 30 years, will host a reception honoring the 2012 National Teacher of the Year finalists at the Vice President's Residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, DC. This is the fourth year in a row that Dr. Biden will host this group of accomplished teachers at the Naval Observatory. Portions of this event will be pooled press.

The National Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the State Teachers of the Year by a national selection committee representing the major national education organizations organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Members of the media who would like to cover the Teacher of the Year ceremony must RSVP to media_affairs@who.eop.gov before Monday, April 23, 12:00PM EDT, with the subject line "Teacher of the Year". Members of the media who do not have a White House hard pass must also submit their full name (including middle name), date of birth, Social Security number, gender, country of birth, country of citizenship and current city and state of residence.

Monday, April 23

• Dr. Jill Biden will host a reception honoring the 2012 National Teacher of the Year finalists
  3:30 PM EDT
  U.S. Naval Observatory
  Portions of this event will be pooled press

Tuesday, April 24

• The President will deliver remarks honoring the National Teacher of the Year
  10:05AM EDT
  Rose Garden
  Open Press

The 2012 State Teachers of the Year:

Alabama
Gay Barnes
Horizon Elementary School
Elementary, 1

Alaska
Cara Heitz
Cordova Jr./Sr. High School
Science, Health, 7-12

American Samoa
Lita Marie Timoteo
Tafuna Elementary School
American Samoa Department of Education
Mathematics, 6

Arizona
Kristie Martorelli
Thompson Ranch Elementary School
Reading Interventions, K-3

Arkansas
Kim Wilson
Monticello High School
Visual Arts, 9-12

California
Rebecca Lynn Mieliwocki
Luther Burbank Middle School
English, 7

Colorado
Kristin Donley
Monarch High School
Science, 9-12

Connecticut
David Bosso
Berlin High School
Social Studies, 9-12

Delaware
Amber Augustus
John Bassett Moore Intermediate School
Math, Science, Social Studies, 5

Department of Defense Education Activity
Angela Wilson
Vicenza Middle School
Language Arts, Forensics, 7

District of Columbia
Perea Brown-Blackmon
Langdon Educational Center
Elementary, 3-4

Florida
Alvin Aureliano Davis
Miramar High School
Music, 9-12

Georgia
Jadun O. McCarthy
Northeast High School
English/Language Arts, 9-12

Hawaii
Chad Miller
Kailua High School
Language Arts, 10-12

Idaho
Erin L. Lenz
Winton Elementary School
Reading, K-5

Illinois
Josh Stumpenhorst
Lincoln Junior High School
Language Arts, Social Science, 6

Indiana
Melanie L. Park
Riverview Middle School
Reading Remediation, 6-8

Iowa
Charity Campbell
Norwalk Middle School
Physical Education, 6-7

Kansas
Tiffany Richard
Olathe East High School
AVID Program, Biology, Chemistry, 9-12

Kentucky
Kimberly Shearer
Boone County High School
English, 11

Louisiana
April Jessup Giddens
Natchitoches Magnet School
Reading, English Language Arts, 6

Maine
Alana M. Margeson
Caribou High School
English, 10-11

Maryland
Joshua Parker
Windsor Mill Middle School
English/Language Arts, 6-12

Massachusetts
Adam Gray
Boston Latin School
Mathematics, 9-12

Michigan
Paul Galbenski
Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southeast
Business/Marketing/Career and Technical Education, 11-12

Minnesota
Katy Smith
Early Childhood Family Education at Goodview
Parent Education, all levels of students

Mississippi
Birdette Hughey
Greenwood High School
Algebra, 9-12

Missouri
Kristen C. Merrell
Lee's Summit Elementary School
Elementary, 3

Montana
Thomas A. Pedersen
Capital High School
Biology, 11-12

Nebraska
Luisa Palomo Hare
Liberty Elementary School
Elementary, K

Nevada
Deanna LeBlanc
East Valley Elementary School
Elementary, 4

New Hampshire
Bethany Bernasconi
Windham High School
Biology, 10-12

New Jersey
Jeanne M. DelColle
Burlington County Institute of Technology
History, 9-11

New Mexico
MaryBeth Britton
Pecos High School
English, 9-12

New York
Kathleen Ferguson
Jessie T. Zoller Elementary School
Elementary, 2

North Carolina
Tyronna M. Hooker
Graham Middle School
Social Studies, Special Education, 6-8

North Dakota
Brenda M. Werner
Bismarck High School
English Language Arts, 10-12

Northern Mariana Islands
Jonathan Pangelinan Cabrera
Saipan Southern High School
English/Language Arts, 12

Ohio
Timothy M. Dove
Phoenix Middle School
Social Studies, 7

Oklahoma
Kristin Shelby
Sallie Gillentine Elementary School
Elementary, 4

Oregon
Elena García-Valasco
SEIS@Roosevelt Campus
Spanish Language Arts, 9-12

Rhode Island
Julie Lima Boyle
Coventry High School
English Language Arts, 12

South Carolina
Patti J. Tate
Northwestern High School
AP English, 11-12

South Dakota
Patrick Moller
Mitchell Middle School
Mathematics, 7

Tennessee
Byron Booker
Knox Central High School
ESL, 9-12

Texas
Karen Ann Morman
J. W. Webb Elementary School
Literacy, 2-5

Utah
Leigh M. VandenAkker
East High School
Social Studies, 9-12

Vermont
Tong J. Chen
Leland and Gray Union Middle and High School
Chinese, 7-12

Virgin Islands
Nneka Howard-Sibilly
Charlotte Amalie High School
AP Biology, 12

Virginia
Margaret A. Smith
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School for Innovation
English, 8

Washington
Mark Ray
Skyview High School
Library Information and Technology, 9-12

West Virginia
Robert Morris
Clay County High School
Agriculture, 9-12

Wisconsin
Bradley A. Markhardt
Black River Falls High School
Agriculture Education, 7-12

Wyoming
Herbert Brent Daly
Campbell County High School
Science, 11-12