The National Center for Family Literacy has chosen Karen Klima-Thomas as its 1996 Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year. An early-childhood education teacher at Lowell School in Mesa, Ariz., Klima-Thomas was cited for her contribution to Mesa’s Family Tree Project, a literacy project that has served more than 170 families at seven elementary schools since 1990. As part of the award, Toyota will contribute $5,000 to the literacy program at Lowell on behalf of Klima-Thomas. She will also receive a free trip to the center’s National Conference on Family Literacy in April 1997.
The National Council on Economic Education announces its 34th annual National Awards for Teaching Economics. Sponsored by the International Paper Company Foundation and administered by the National Council on Economic Education, the awards were given to winners in five categories: Deborah Shearer and Geanie Davis of Baker Elementary School in Little Rock, Ark., in the primary grades; Karen Hurd of Collegiate School in Richmond, Va., in the intermediate grades; Judy Butler and Cindy Harwell of Lakeland (Fla.) Highlands Middle School in the junior high/middle school category; Kathy Lemons of Fayetteville (Ark.) High School in the high school category; and C. Joyce Taylor and BrendaSmith of Cook Elementary School in Fort Smith, Ark., in the multigrade category.
Four teachers have been selected as finalists for the national Teacher of the Year: George Abshire of Jenks (Okla.) East Middle School; Sharon Draper of Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati; Jan Mitchell of Marshalltown (Iowa) High School; and Rosalind Hurley Richards of Squires Elementary School in Lexington, Ky. The program is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic Inc. The winner will be announced in mid-April.
