Wal-Mart & Sam's Club Recognize Three Joplin Teachers

Eric Beezley 4th Grade, Irving Elem. 7th Street Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Mr. Beezley is pictured above with Chandler Smith, the student who nominated him.	Kristi Warden 4th Grade, Stapleton Elem. 15th Street Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year Ms. Warden is pictured above with Bryant Overstreet, the student whose parent submitted the nomination.	David Noah Welding Instructor, Franklin Technology Center Sam's Club Teacher of the Year Mr. Noah is pictured above with John Goodall, General Manager of Sam's Club.
(Click on a photo to see a larger version.)

Three Joplin teachers have been named Teacher of the Year by local Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores! Eric Beezley (Irving Elementary), Kristi Warden (Stapleton Elementary), and David Noah (Franklin Technology Center) were recognized by the three Joplin stores during Teacher Appreciation Week. The winning teachers each received a $1,000 educational grant to benefit their school.

Beezley, Warden, and Noah are now eligible to apply for the Wal-Mart Missouri Teacher of the Year award. State winners receive an additional $10,000 educational grant for their schools and are automatically entered in the national competition. The Wal-Mart National Teacher of the Year receives an additional $25,000 educational grant, for a total of $36,000 to his or her school.

The Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year program is one of the largest teacher recognition programs in the country. The Wal-Mart and Sam's Club Foundation partners with Phi Delta Kappa International, the world's leading education association, to implement this recognition program. For more information about the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year award program, please visit www.pdkintl.org/walmart/.

posted 05/16/07