Three teachers from Dutchtown Middle School in Geismar swept the 2006 Disney Teacher Awards. The trio consists of Kathryn Pilcher and LSU alumnae Amanda Mayeaux and Monique Wild. At the ceremony, held Aug. 1 at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., the team won three awards: the 2006 Youth Service America Award, the 2006 Disney Outstanding Middle School Teacher Award and the prestigious 2006 Disney Teacher of the Year Award. The team was selected from more than 75,000 nominees and 44 finalists. “We really were speechless,” Pilcher said. This is the first time since the ceremony began in 1989 that a team rather than an individual has received Teacher of the Year. This is also the only time that any individual or team has won all three possible awards. The trio received the awards for its dynamic team-based style of teaching, as well as developing the For the Love of Literacy program. For the Love of Literacy was founded by the team in 2004 with a grant from the Milken Family Foundation Festival for Youth. It is a reading program that encourages participation from middle school-aged children around the world. The program is student-driven, teaching both leadership and reading skills. Last year, the team taught at-risk students, many of whom flourished under the program. The program’s special initiatives were taught alongside traditional national, state and parish curricula standards. The team is working hard to spread the program into each Louisiana parish and also into other states and countries. There are also plans for elementary and high school versions of the program. It is hoped that future LSU graduates can also participate. Mayeaux, a summer 2006 graduate from the College of Education, explained that one of the team’s goals is to empower its students to improve themselves and also to help others. “If you don’t like the way things are, then change it,” she said. The three teachers’ coordinated planning and teaching style also played a large role in their selection at the Disney Teacher Awards. Mayeaux, who teaches math and science, coordinates lessons with Wild, who teaches language arts and social studies. Pilcher assists both and may be found working with students in either classroom. “There’s a big move in education right now for collaborative efforts,” Wild said. “People are realizing that you can do more together.” The three collectively received $30,000 for winning the Outstanding Middle School Teacher and Teacher of the Year awards. All 44 honorees received $10,000 and a $5,000 donation to their respective schools. The honorees and their principals are also invited to a six-day professional development institute at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., with the Center for Collaborative Education from Boston. Other awards included Outstanding Elementary School Teacher, Outstanding High School Teacher and Outstanding Educational Specialist. The three Outstanding Teacher awards were chosen by a selection committee composed of former honorees and members of leading U.S. educational associations. The Teacher of the Year Award was selected by vote of the committee and the 44 attending honorees. Winners of the Youth Service America Award are chosen by the Youth Service America organization.
—–Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]