NMSA Congratulates
National Teacher of the Year Michael Geisen!

Michael Geisen, a seventh grade science teacher at Crook County Middle School in Prineville, Oregon, was selected as 2008 National Teacher of the Year. The National Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by the ING Foundation, is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers and is the oldest and most prestigious awards program to focus public attention on excellence in teaching. "Geisen is exactly the type of educator we want to acknowledge. He believes in and encourages collaboration between and among teachers and school leaders as he knows this brings the right focus on the student," said Gene Wilhoit, executive director of CCSSO.

Geisen's goal and hope is to ignite passion for learning in as many people as possible and to help them make informed decisions in their everyday lives. As he explains, "I allow my curiosity and enthusiasm for learning to match my students', and we inspire each other to further explore and wonder about the big questions and the little details that make our world so fascinating." Geisen's approach to teaching and learning is creative, collaborative, and student-centered and focuses on uniting his students with the community while connecting everyone to science.

—excerpted from the National Teacher of the Year Award Recognition Dinner Program. More information about this year's award.

Also recently announced are the 2008 State Teachers of the Year. Additional information on the National Teacher of the Year and State Teachers of the Year programs can be accessed at http://www.ccsso.org/ntoy.

List of state award winners (middle level):

Alaska Raymond Voley Kenny Lake School HC 60, Box 224 Copper Center, AK 99573 History/Technology, 6-12	Missouri Eric Langhorst South Valley Junior High 800 MidJay Drive Liberty, MO 64068 Social Studie, 8
Colorado Seth Berg Telluride High School 725 W. Colorado Avenue Telluride, CO 81435-9145 Math/Science & DAC, K-12	New Jersey John Kline, Jr. Norwood Public School 177 Summit Street Norwood, NJ 07648 Social Studies, 7-8
Hawaii Pascale Pinner Hilo Intermediate School 87 Waianuenue Avenue Hilo, HI 6720 Earth/Space Science, 8	North Carolina James Bell, Jr. Chowan Middle School 2845 Virginia Road Tyner, NC 27980 English, Language Arts, Social Studies, 6-8
Illinois Ruth Meissen Harlem Middle School 735 Windsor Road Loves Park, IL 61111 Art, 7-8	Ohio George Edge Grove City High School 4665 Hoover Road Grove City, OH 43123 Instrumental Music, 6-12
Kentucky Chandra Emerson Oldham County Middle School 4305 Brown Blvd. Buckner, KY 40010 Language Arts, 7-8	Oregon Michael Geisen Crook County Middle School 100 NE Knowledge Street Prineville, OR 97754 Science, 7
Maryland April Todd Somerset 6-7 Intermediate School 8928 Sign Post Road Westover, MD 21871 Language Arts, 6-7	Pennsylvania David Woten, Jr. Carson Middle School 200 Hillvue Lane #2 Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Chorus/Music, 6-8
Michigan June Teisan Harper Woods Secondary School 20225 Beaconsfield Harper Woods, MI 48225 Science, 7	Wisconsin Beth Oswald J.C. McKenna Middle School 307 S. 1st Street Evansville, WI 53536 Social Studies, 7