Schools name teacher of the year nominees

Columbia County's 24 schools and its alternative school has each named its 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year nominee.

Georgia's Teacher of the Year Program (TOTY) annually spotlights the teaching profession and recognizes outstanding public school teachers at the local and state levels. The program is sponsored by the Georgia Department of Education. It is a prestigious awards program to focus attention on excellence in teaching. The first Georgia Teacher of the Year was selected in 1971.

A system-wide winner will be selected this fall. Columbia County's Teacher of the year will then go on to compete in the state program.

Each system nominee submits an application that is based on the National Teacher of the Year Program application and from there, 12 semifinalists are selected. Semifinalists submit a 10-minute video representing a sample of their classroom teaching. Site visits to each of the semifinalists' classrooms are conducted by the judges. Five finalists are selected and follow-up interviews are held. From the five finalists, the Georgia Teacher of the Year is selected. Georgia's Teacher of the Year then goes on to compete at the national level.

Columbia County nominees are:

* Bel Air Elementary - Bonnie Pierce

* Blue Ridge Elementary - Jennifer Maxwell

* Brookwood Elementary - Bonnie Iarocci

* Euchee Creek Elementary - Katy Yeargain

* Evans Elementary - Mary Beth Davison

* Greenbrier Elementary - Katherine Treado

* Grovetown Elementary - Margaret Turk

* Martinez Elementary - Kristy Zgol

* North Columbia Elementary - Patricia Tillman

* North Harlem Elementary - Barbara Harrison

* Riverside Elementary - Connie Spearman

* South Columbia Elementary - Lynda McIntosh

* Stevens Creek Elementary - Mary Dyer

* Westmont Elementary - Mary Wilson

* Columbia Middle - Cathy Mulherin

* Evans Middle - Lorraine Hall

* Greenbrier Middle - Amy Black

* Harlem Middle - Stephaney Crenshaw

* Lakeside Middle - Amy Plunkett

* Riverside Middle - Glen Roberson

* Evans High - Juana Haroldson

* Greenbrier High - Shirley Perry

* Harlem High - Barbara Howard

* Lakeside High - Lela Hulsebus

* Crossroads Academy - Sue Powell.