Governor Patton Honors Ashland Inc.’s Top 10 Kentucky Teachers

For Immediate Release
May 12, 1999
Contact: Melissa Forsythe or Mark Pfeiffer (502) 564-2611

Frankfort, Ky. - Ten outstanding Kentucky educators were honored today by Governor Paul Patton with the 1999 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards. Each winning teacher received a $2,500 cash award from Ashland, which has sponsored the program for the past 11 years.

"The most important components of our educational system are our teachers. Too often we take our teachers for granted. Recognizing these educators is one way of showing our appreciation and support for the work they do in molding the minds of our children. I am proud to join Ashland in honoring these outstanding teachers in our quest for education excellence in Kentucky," Governor Patton said.

The 10 winning teachers are:

Donna BrownWaggener Traditional High SchoolLouisville
Lisa FaulhaberSt. Anthony SchoolTaylor Mill
Richard GuetigAtherton High SchoolLouisville
Jan LanhamGlasscock ElementaryLebanon
Barbara MillerBreckinridge County High SchoolHarned
Joan PerkinsDuPont Manual High SchoolLouisville
Paul PetersonSouth Oldham High SchoolCrestwood
Shannon SchumacherRector A. Jones Middle SchoolFlorence
Diane TaylorDuPont Manual High SchoolLouisville
Peggy WelchWest Jessamine High SchoolNicholasville

Governor Patton was joined by Ashland Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Paul W. Chellgren, Dr. Marlene Helm, Secretary of the Education, Arts and Humanities Cabinet, Education Commissioner Wilmer S. Cody, and Judith Gambill, president of the Kentucky Education Association (KEA) in an awards ceremony at the state capitol.

"Teachers are incredibly important as they are the visionaries and advocates of our children’s future," said Marlene M. Helm, secretary of the Education, Arts and Humanities cabinet.

"These teachers represent what is best about Kentucky’s education community.-They are dedicated to the profession and determined to provide the best possible learning environment for their students. I am pleased to help honor them and their achievements," Cody said.

"We are very proud of these teachers who have demonstrated great skill at improving student learning in their classrooms and committed themselves to improving

the teaching profession. These teachers serve as excellent role models for their students and for their colleagues. Their enthusiasm as educators creates very positive and energized learning climates for their students. Kentucky’s schools are very fortunate to have teachers of this caliber, and we are pleased that Ashland Inc. has chosen to recognize their accomplishments with the annual Teacher Achievement Awards," said Judith Gambill, KEA president.

"Teachers must not only teach, they must challenge, be cheerleaders, counselors, and themselves be committed to life-long learning," said Chellgren.

"Foremost, they must have a passion for their profession. The teachers we honor today share their passion for curiosity and learning with all their students."

Nominations for the Teacher Achievement Awards were open to the general public through January 1999. All certified Kentucky teachers currently teaching kindergarten through grade 12 were eligible. A panel of education experts from Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio selected the winners, following exhaustive review of application materials provided by the nominees. Nominated teachers provide information on their teaching philosophy, experiences, and involvement in their respective communities, as well as letters of recommendations from peers, students, administrators and others.

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