CHARLESTON, W.Va., March 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arch Coal
Foundation named 12 outstanding West
Virginia classroom teachers today as recipients of the
prestigious Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Award. It is West Virginia's longest-running, privately
sponsored teacher recognition program, now in its 27th year.
The announcement was made by John W.
Eaves, Arch Coal's president and chief executive officer. He
was accompanied by Gov. Earl Ray
Tomblin and West Virginia Education Association (WVEA)
President Dale Lee. The recipients
were honored today at a ceremony at the Clay Center in Charleston.
The 2015 Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Award recipients are:
Debbie Ebert
DeWees
|
McKinley Elementary
School
|
Parkersburg
|
Tracy Lynn
Duncan
|
Taylor County Middle
School
|
Grafton
|
Cindy
Evarts
|
Orchard View
Intermediate School
|
Martinsburg
|
Rhonda L.
Foreman
|
Martinsburg High
School
|
Martinsburg
|
Kelli
Jordan
|
Ona Elementary
School
|
Ona
|
Demi A.
Lewin
|
Rosemont Elementary
School
|
Martinsburg
|
Lauren
McCoy
|
Madison Elementary
School
|
Parkersburg
|
Samantha S.
Murphy
|
Nicholas County High
School
|
Summersville
|
Jessica
Salfia
|
Spring Mills High
School
|
Martinsburg
|
Ashley N.
Shaw
|
Montcalm Elementary
School
|
Rock
|
Beverly
Stern
|
Ruthlawn Elementary
School
|
South
Charleston
|
Carolyn Ruos
Thomas
|
Wildwood Middle
School
|
Shenandoah
Junction
|
"Teaching is not a career for the faint of heart," Eaves said.
"The hours are long and the demands are numerous. Teachers have the
great responsibility to shape young minds, impart knowledge and
recognize each student's potential. They also must challenge
themselves to learn new concepts and adjust their teaching approach
to meet the needs of their students. They serve as disciplinarian
and cheerleader, counselor and friend, and they work tirelessly to
ensure that every child gets the high-quality education they
deserve. So on behalf of the 1,800 employees working at Arch Coal
and our subsidiaries in West
Virginia, we are pleased to recognize these 12 outstanding
teachers for their excellence in the classroom."
"As a former teacher, a father and husband of a college
president, I understand the importance of a good education," Gov.
Tomblin said. "As governor, I recognize providing a world-class
education is essential to West
Virginia's continued growth and economic success. The
teachers we honor today gather in schools and classrooms across the
state with a shared vision to inspire our students and encourage a
lifetime of learning. I'm grateful for their commitment to our
students and appreciate the ongoing support of Arch Coal to enhance
educational opportunities in the Mountain State."
"The West Virginia Education Association and the West Virginia
Foundation for the Improvement of Education are pleased to partner
with Arch Coal as it recognizes some of the great teachers that
work throughout our state," Lee said. "Teachers are rarely honored
for the hard work and long hours they put into providing a high
quality education for the students of our state, and I want to
thank Arch Coal for recognizing our teachers. These teachers
exemplify the spirit and dedication of their peers throughout the
state."
The public nominates teachers for the annual award, and a
blue-ribbon panel of past award recipients selects the top 12. In
addition to recognition, each teacher is presented with a
$3,500 unrestricted cash award, a
distinctive trophy and a classroom plaque.
The West Virginia Foundation for the Improvement of Education, a
foundation of WVEA, also makes a $1,000 cash award to each teacher's school for
use with at-risk students. The WVEA Foundation is funded by WVEA
members. It was created in 1993 and to date has awarded nearly
$250,000 to schools to assist in the
education of at-risk students.
The Teacher Achievement Awards are underwritten by the Arch Coal
Foundation and are supported in program promotion by the West
Virginia Department of Education, the WVEA and the West Virginia
Library Commission. Arch Coal and the Arch Coal Foundation have a
long history of supporting educational and community causes in
West Virginia. The Arch Coal
Foundation also supports teacher recognition or grants programs in
Wyoming and Colorado, as well as a number of other
education-related causes.
Information about each of today's 12 recipients, as well as past
recipients, is posted at archteacherawards.com.
St. Louis-based Arch Coal, Inc.
(NYSE:ACI) is one of the world's top coal producers for the global
steel and power generation industries, serving customers on five
continents. Its network of mining complexes is the most diversified
in the United States, spanning
every major coal basin in the nation. The company controls more
than 5 billion tons of high-quality metallurgical and thermal coal
reserves, with access to all major railroads, inland waterways and
a growing number of seaborne trade channels. In West Virginia, Arch Coal and its subsidiaries
employ about 1,800 people. For more information, visit
archcoal.com.
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SOURCE Arch Coal Foundation