GA Educator of the Year Nominations

The Georgia Aquarium is the site of a banquet to name the 2010 Georgia Teacher of the Year.

The winner announced Friday night will spend the 2009-2010 school year as an ambassador and advocate for the teaching profession, and will compete for National Teacher of the Year.

The 10 finalists are: Tiffany Todd, Southeast Bulloch High School; Mark Lang, Camden Middle School; Gwen Desselle, Colquitt County High; Michele Rigsby, BelAir Elementary School, Columbia County; Suzy Besson-Martilotta, Chattahoochee Elementary School, Forsyth County; Merrill Boynton-Cheyne, Harris County Carver Middle School; Sandy Akin, East Jackson Comprehensive High School; Krista Pearson, Lowndes High School; Kathie Wood, Marietta Middle School; and Jennifer Beckum Irvin, Toombs County High.

(Associated Press)

Teacher of the Year finalists

Ten Georgia teachers are finalists for the 2009 Georgia Teacher of the Year. The finalists were chosen from a statewide pool of 141 applicants who were selected from their school districts. The winner will be announced May 9th, and will be entered in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

This year's finalists are:

Leanne Maule
Cartersville High School

Clay Hildebrand 

Smokey Road Middle School in Coweta County

Gina Coss

Sedalia Park Charter Elementary School in Cobb County

Christopher Spraggins
Columbus High School in Muscogee County

Aletha Snowberger

Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in Richmond County

Daniel Petritz
Conyers Middle School in Rockdale County

Tracy Wilson
Americus-Sumter County High School

David Curtis
Callaway High School in Troup County

Dwight Stafford
Performance Learning Center in Walton County

Stephanie Shelton
Washington County High School