Kamras is 2005 National TOY at White House

President George W. Bush has named Jason Kamras as the 2005 National Teacher of the Year during awarding ceremonies held yesterday at the White House.

Kamras, officially named the 55th National Teacher of the Year, is a mathematics teacher at John Philip Sousa Middle School in Washington D.C.

He was joined at the ceremony by fellow National finalists: Stanley Murphy, a social studies teacher at San Diego High School in San Diego, California; Vicki Goldsmith, an English, Women’s Studies and Theories of Knowledge teacher at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa; and Tamara Steen, an English and art teacher at Mabton Junior-Senior High School in Mabton, Washington.

In addition, all state Teachers of the Year, including the CNMI’s own, Lavena Babauta, were honored at the ceremony at the White House.

ING U.S. Financial Services was the presenting sponsor of the National Teacher of the Year Program—a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers. ING executives, including Tom McInerney, CEO of ING U.S. Financial Services, joined officials of CCSSO at the White House.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to support the Council of Chief State School Officers’ efforts in recognizing and championing excellence in education. We believe it is very important to support an education system that seeks to enable all children to succeed in school, work and life,” said McInerney, CEO, ING U.S. Financial Services.

“The passion exemplified by the National and State Teachers of the Year is truly impressive — and we are humbled by the commitment and devotion teachers across our country give towards educating our children and young people,” he said.

The National Teacher of the Year Program is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers and is sponsored by Scholastic Inc.

The program focuses public attention on teaching excellence and is the oldest and most prestigious awards program for teachers —and is honored in an annual Ceremony at the White House.

Kamras, the first to represent the District of Columbia, begins a year as a full-time national and international spokesperson for education on June 1, 2005.

A committee of representatives from 14 national education organizations chooses the National Teacher of the Year from among the State Teachers of the Year, including those representing American Samoa, Department of Defense Education Activity, District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

State Teachers of the Year are selected on the basis of nominations by students, teachers, principals, and school district administrators throughout the states. Applications are then submitted to CCSSO, where the national selection committee reviews the data on each candidate and selects the finalists. The selection committee then personally interviews each finalist before naming the National Teacher of the Year. Additional information on the National Teacher of the Year Program can be accessed at http://www.ccsso.org/ntoy. (PR)