LITTLE ROCK — The Governor’s Mansion was a sea of beautifully attired teachers Nov. 12 - all anxiously awaiting who would be named the 2011 Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
The eleven finalists waited though an hour-long reception before the honor was bestowed on Kathy Powers, a fifth- and sixthgrade teacher at Raymond and Phyllis Simon Intermediate School in the Conway School District. Therese Thompson of Tyson Elementary School in the Springdale School District was first runner-up.
Gov. Mike Beebe and Arkansas Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell presented the award. Craig O’Neill, an anchor at KTHVTV, Channel 11, hosted the event, which was aired live on Channel 11.
Other guests included the 2010 teacher of the year, Vandy Nash of North Little Rock, and the 2009 teacher of the year, Susan Waggener of West Memphis. They were joined by Sarah Brown Wessling of Johnston, Iowa, the 2010 national teacher of the year.
Powers will receive a $15,000 cash award and will represent Arkansas in the national competition. She will spend the 2011-12 school year working in residence at the Arkansas Department of Education.
High Profile, Pages 42 on 11/21/2010