Published - February, 23, 2006 
Area educators to learn who is the top teacher at banquet
Michael Stewart
@PensacolaNewsJournal.com


 Teacher of the Year (Video)


There are five of them, and each is a great teacher.

One has more than three decades classroom experience. Another initiated her school's first reading team for teachers. Another is Cuban-born and piloted an after-school program to teach students Spanish.

They're finalists for Escambia School District's Teacher of the Year.

Tonight, the winner will be selected during the Golden Apple Awards, sponsored by the Foundation for Excellence in Education Inc. at New World Landing.

The finalists are:

· Nicole Everette, a fourth-grade teacher at Allen Elementary School.

· Bonita Halford, a fourth-grade teacher at Pine Meadow Elementary School.

· Miranda Jimenez, a third-grade teacher at Hallmark Elementary School.

· Marilyn Lentine, a third-grade teacher at Caro Elementary School.

· Margaret Roh, a third-grade teacher at Holm Elementary School.

The teacher of the year will win $1,800 and will compete for the title of Florida Teacher of the Year. In addition, the winner will be inducted as the 21st member of the Golden Apple Academy, composed of past winners who address education issues in the county.

The other four finalists will receive $1,000 each.

The impetus for the awards banquet?

"Teachers sometimes don't get credit for the great job they do," said Earl Lee, president of the Foundation for Excellence.

Madyson Bonner, 9, hopes her teacher, Everette, is selected as teacher of the year.

"She's a good teacher," said Madyson, who has mastered fractions with Everette's help.

Everette, 26, is in her fifth year of teaching and has known since she was her students' age that teaching is her calling.

"It's knowing I am having a direct effect on the future and being able to see the small miracles each and every day in the classroom," she said.

McKenna Rea McDonald, 10, thinks Halford has what it takes to walk away with the title tonight.

"If you don't understand something, she teaches it a different way to make sure everyone gets it," McKenna said.

With 32 years teaching experience, Halford, 56, wishes she could start all over again.

"There is so much new research about how children learn that is really exciting," she said.

Marquis Prather, 9, said his teacher, Jimenez, has a knack for explaining the hard stuff so he can understand it. But it's not work.

"She makes learning fun," Marquis said.

Jimenez, 27, who began teaching in the School District in 2001, said the thrill of seeing children learn is one of her greatest joys.

"I just love to see them when they say, 'I've got it. I've got it.' "

Austin Barrett, 9, is confident his teacher, Lentine, will take top honors.

"I like her,'' Austin said. "She's nice, and she makes learning easy for me."

Lentine, born in Cuba and raised in West Palm Beach, flirted with other fields while in college.

"I kept coming back to teaching," she said. "My heart was with the children."

Avion Wright, 9, is proud that his teacher, Roh, is one of the top five finalists.

"I think it's a good accomplishment," Wright said. "I hope she is teacher of the year."

Roh, 55, who is in her 16th year with the district, said she can't imagine doing anything else.

"I've always loved to learn and helping others learn and find that joy in learning gives me a sense of deep satisfaction," she said.

Teachers at each of the 67 schools in the county chose a teacher of the year. A 12-member committee selected the top five.

"We actually went into their classrooms to watch them teach," said Escambia Education Association President Gail Husbands. "It's inspiring to see the quality of education our children are getting."

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