Awesome Alaskan Educators
It’s back to school time again. In honor of the men and women who shape the minds of our youth across the state, we’d like to highlight a few Alaskan educators who have been honored with awards this year. Kudos to our Alaskan teachers!
Denise Lisac, Dillingham
A K-5 reading teacher for Dillingham City School District, Denise Lisac, was named the 2014 Alaska Teacher of the Year by the Association of Alaska School Boards.
“I teach because I really enjoy it. I like coming to school every day and being with the kids,” Lisac told AlaskaPublic.org.
Read about her appointment and its responsibilities and see her short introduction of Alaska and Dillingham at the International Space Camp in the video below.
Greg Zorbas, Kenai
Another one of our Awesome Alaskan educators is Greg Zorbas, a tech-loving teacher in Kenai.
Using videoconferencing technology, Zorbas brought the world to his students in Kenai, Alaska through projects in and out of the classroom. This was one of the factors that led to Zorba’s naming as the 2014 Teacher of the Year by the Alaska Society for Technology in Education.
Watch the presentation of his award in the video below:
Jenifer Cameron, Fairbanks
Art coordinator Jenifer Cameron has been appointed the 2014 AAEA Alaska Art Educator of the Year. Cameron is an art teacher for the 19 elementary schools in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. She has also taught in Wrangell and St. Mary’s, and has previously been awarded the Elementary Art Teacher of the Year award in 2009.
Debbie LaRue, Chugiak, and Heidi Imhof, Fairbanks
As part of National History Day program for 2014, Alaskan teachers Debbie La Rue and Heidi Imhof were recognized as Patricia Behring Teachers of the Year.
The Behring award goes to excellent, creative teachers who participate in National History Day in class. NHD is a year-long program for students, culminating in a research project.
LaRue’s students at Chugiak High School counted 10 of the 51 National History Day winners for Alaska this year. Imhof teaches middle-school students at Barnette Magnet school in Fairbanks.