Mary Beth Blegen, a history, humanities, literature, and writing teacher at Worthington (Minn.) Senior High School, has been named the 1996 National Teacher of the Year. “She is the embodiment of the all-American teacher--a hard-working, dedicated, caring person, always working to do better,’' President Clinton said of Blegen at a White House ceremony in April. “Her greatest achievement has been her ability to help her students understand the complex relationships that exist in our changing world.’' Over her 30-year career, Blegen has adapted her teaching to demographic shifts in the Worthington area. Once white and middle-class, the community has become much more ethnically and economically diverse. Blegen was selected from among this year’s state teachers of the year by a panel representing 14 education groups. For a complete list of the teachers honored in each state, see “In The Spotlight’’ on page 60.
A version of this article appeared in the August 01, 1996 edition of Teacher Magazine as Teacher Of The Year
