NEA Foundation Names Five Finalists for National Award

Finalists Receive $10,000 from the Horace Mann Companies; National Recognition

WASHINGTON (October 16, 2008)—Five public school educators will receive $10,000 from the Horace Mann Companies and national recognition at a Washington, DC awards gala as the 2009 national finalists for the NEA Foundation’s Award for Teaching Excellence, according to the NEA Foundation, a public charity created in 1969 to advance student achievement in America’s public schools.

“These individuals have been selected by their colleagues because they have attained the highest standards of the profession, as shown by their effective instruction, advocacy for public education, commitment to diversity, and engagement of parents and community,” said Harriet Sanford, president and CEO of the NEA Foundation. “Bringing them to Washington, DC and honoring them at our gala is our thank you for their excellent work.”

Selected were:

• Joseph Fatheree, a multi-media and web design teacher at Effingham High School in Effingham, IL;

• Michael Flynn, a teacher at William E. Norris Elementary School in Southampton, MA;

• Richard T. Ognibene, Jr., a 11-12 grade chemistry and physics teacher at Fairport High School in Fairport, NY;
• Stephanie Rossi, a 10-12 grade teacher at Wheat Ridge Senior High School in Wheat Ridge, CO; and
• Marlene Srock, a first grade teacher at Bel Air Elementary School inMinot, ND.

Selected by educators from their home states, these public school educators will be honored at the organization’s annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala to be held in Washington, DC on February 6, 2009.

In all, 36 public school educators were nominated by their states to receive the Award for Teaching Excellence and will be honored at the organization’s annual Washington, DC gala, according to the NEA Foundation. Each of the 36 recipients’ schools will receive a $750 award in his or her honor. Photos and names of the state nominees and national finalists are posted and can be downloaded at http://www.neafoundation.org/gala.htm.

“These extraordinary teachers challenge students and encourage them to reach their full potential,” said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. “They are representative of the vast number of school employees who go to school each morning dedicated to creating great public schools for every student.”

The 2009 recipient of the Award for Teaching Excellence recipient will remain a closely guarded secret until he or she is announced at the NEA Foundation’s gala in February. At that time, he or she will receive $25,000 award.

About The NEA Foundation

The NEA Foundation is an independent public charity created in 1969 and sustained by contributions from educators, corporate sponsors, and other supporters of public education.  The Foundation offers grants and programs that support educators' efforts to close the achievement gaps, increase classroom innovations, provide professional development, and salute excellence in education.  For more information, visit neafoundation.org.