Raise Your Hand If You Know A Great Teacher!

Do you know of a creative teacher whose educational magic helps improve student performance?  A teacher who ignites the spark of creativity in every child?  A teacher whose excellence deserves to be recognized?  Beginning February 1, The Walt Disney Company is accepting nominations for extraordinary, creative teachers to honor through Disney's American Teacher Awards.

Since 1989, The Walt Disney Company has proudly presented Disney's American Teacher Awards, saluting outstanding members of the teaching profession.  These awards salute not only the gifted and dedicated men and women who are honored each year - they demonstrate our respect for the education profession throughout the country.

Disney's American Teacher Awards Honorees are saluted with monetary awards totaling over $500,000 and national recognition at an awards gala.  They also participate in professional development focused on maximizing their abilities as innovative teacher leaders.  The outstanding, creative teachers honored by Disney's American Teacher Awards are supported in sharing with their colleagues creative teaching strategies that engage students in learning.

In order to make this possible, Disney is reaching out to everyone who has been touched by the work of a creative teacher - students, parents, fellow school personnel and members of the community are all encouraged to nominate a teacher.  There is no more thoughtful gift to give a teacher who has touched a life than to recognize the role he or she has played in shaping the way a child sees the world.  The Walt Disney Company hopes that this nomination process will show thousands of teachers across the country how much their work means to their students, co-workers and communities.

Nominations for the 2001 American Teacher Awards will be accepted until March 31, 2001.  Nominations can be made by phone toll free at 1-877-ATA-TEACH (1-877-282-8322) or may be submitted online at disneylearning.org.  Applications to teachers will be sent out mid-April 2001.

All nominees will be contacted by Disney and will receive a copy of the American Teacher Awards application.  It is the responsibility of the teacher to complete the application, which will then be reviewed by a national selection committee made up of leading educational organizations, experts in the field and past honorees of the American Teacher Awards.  The Honorees selected will be recognized at a ceremony to air on Lifetime Television.

Disney's American Teacher Awards is part of Disney Learning Partnership's commitment to teacher support and professional development.  Disney Learning Partnership, a philanthropic initiative, supports engaging and innovative approaches to learning in classrooms across the country and draws on the resources of The Walt Disney Company.

For additional information, please contact Terry Wick, Disney's American Teacher Awards, terry.b.wick@disney.com.