Great Books Great Teachers 2006

Successful Great Books programs require dedicated and gifted teachers. To acknowledge educators who have achieved tremendous results in their classrooms, the Foundation proudly honored the following teachers with the 2006 Great Books Great Teachers award. (Read about the 2005 honorees.)

In April, the teachers gathered in Chicago to attend an awards dinner in their honor and to be the Foundation's special guests at Great Books Chicago 2006, an annual three-day cultural event for Great Books enthusiasts.

Congratulations and thanks to teachers who truly make a difference.

Sandy Alford, gifted & talented teacher and coordinator, Edmondson County School District, Brownsville, KY

Shirley Blakely, talent development coordinator, Gull Lake Community Schools, Richland, MI

Carrie Childers, 3–5 academically gifted resource teacher, Honeycutt Elementary School,  Fayetteville, NC

Shannon Cook, second–grade teacher, Chestnut Grove Elementary School, Decatur, AL

Regina Farnsworth, K–5 enrichment specialist, Spring Ridge Elementary School, Frederick, MD

Denise Fitzgibbons, fifth–grade teacher, Stedwick Elementary School,
Montgomery County, MD

Marisol Gomez, Gifted teacher, G.W. Carver Elementary School, Miami, FL

Tywana Graves-Parker, AIS teacher, JGB coordinator, and fifth–grade mentor, Community School 300, Bronx, NY

George Hermann, third–grade teacher, Richmond Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA

Laura Heubusch-Debnar, first– and second–grade teacher, Jamestown Elementary School, Arlington, VA

Chris Jensik, kindergarten teacher, Andrew Jackson Language Academy, Chicago, IL

Tiffani Jones, sixth–grade teacher, Forest Heights Middle School,
Little Rock, AR

Lainie Ortiz, first– and second–grade teacher, Jamestown Elementary School, Arlington, VA

Mary Lu Pool, fifth–grade teacher, Sparks Elementary School,
Sparks, MD

Marilou Rebolledo , kindergarten teacher, Andrew Jackson Language Academy, Chicago, IL

Jenny Rooney, first–grade teacher, Cornerstone Elementary School, Palos Verdes, CA

Samuel Scott, third–grade teacher, Francisco Oller Elementary School, Bronx, NY

Laura Senteno, fifth–sixth grade teacher, Ninos Heroes Elementary School, Chicago, IL

Mary Sisley, first through fifth grade teacher, North Miami Elementary School, Miaimi, FL

DeeDee Thompson,seventh–grade teacher, League City Intermediate, League City, TX

Tammy Wilkerson, K–8 gifted teacher serving four schools in the Public Schools of Robeson County, Lumberton, NC