Hillsborough Education Foundation

Serving Schools > Recognition Programs > Teacher of the Year

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The Hillsborough Education Foundation Recognizes Excellence in Teaching: Teacher of the Year
The 19th Annual Teacher of the Year Awards
fEBRUARY 9, 2009
Tampa Convention Center

founding sponsor Presenting sponsor

2008 sPONSORS
Platinum sponsors:
citi
clear channel outdoor
everest university
hillsborough classroom teachers association
lexus of tampa bay/lexus of clearwater
nova southeastern university fischler school of education
sweetbay supermarkets

Gold sponsors:
at&t real yellow pages
fkq marketing
ford & Associates, inc.
herff jones
kisinger campo & associates corp.
Publix super markets charities, inc.

Silver sponsors:
lazy Days r.v. center, inc.
university of south florida, college of education

BRONZE SPONSORS:
Capital One Auto Finance
holmes hepner & associates architects, inc.
Long & Associates
MetLife Resources
nabors, giblin & nickerson, p.a.
new york life insurance
ranon & partners, Inc., Architects
saint leo university
st. petersburg times
The beck group

Hillsborough Education Foundation The Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding teachers who have been nominated as the Teacher of the Year for their school site. Attended by more than 1,500 individuals annually, this event recognizes over 215 nominees. Honorees are treated to an exciting night of dining, entertainment, recognition and special gifts.

All schools in the district are invited to nominate one teacher at their site whom they feel is the most well-rounded and professional. Ten finalists are selected by a district committee and individually interviewed. One winner is then selected for the prestigious honor of being named Hillsborough County's Teacher of the Year. The winner of this award goes on to compete for Florida State Teacher of the Year honors.

The twelve 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year Finalists were "wowed" as the "Prize Patrol" of the Hillsborough Education Foundation surprised them in their classrooms on December 14, 2007! Congratulations to the '08-'09 Teacher of the Year Finalists:

Stephanie Ann Bikowski - Burney Elementary School
Terry Senhauser - Nelson Elementary School
Courtney Lea Clark - Gorrie Elementary School
Mary G. Booth - Chiles Elementary School
Marcy Ringdahl - Summerfield Elementary School
Debby Dowell - Bartels Middle School
Kristy C. Verdi - Randall Middle School
Isidoros D. Passalaris - Williams Middle Magnet School
Donald K. Langland - Brandon High School
Sylvia C. Albritton - Youth Servcies
Juanita Sanderson - West Tampa Elementary School
Ross Anderson - Sligh Middle Magnet Technology School

CONGRATULATIONS TO DEBBY DOWELL FROM BARTELS MIDDLE SCHOOL - 2008 TEACHER OF THE YEAR!

As the 2008 Teacher of the Year Debby received the following:
A ride to school in a limousine provided by Julie's Limousines & Coachworks
A Crystal Apple award courtesy of Caspers Company McDonald's Restaurants
A custom-made Teacher of the Year ring from Herff Jones
A lovely gift basket from Outback Steakhouse
Gift bags of goodies supplied by WQYK & WFTS
Tickets to a Tampa Bay Lightning game
Tickets to the Florida Orchestra's Sacco & Venzetti
A Serengeti Safari and additional tickets from Busch Gardens
$500 classroom grant donated by the Baird - The Hirsch Group
Autographed memorabilia from the Tampa Bay Lightning
A 4-day 3-night Bahamas vacation for 2 courtesy of A.S.I. Travel Direct
$2,000 scholarship from NOVA Southeastern University Fischler School of Education and Human Services
$2,000 scholarship awarded by the University of South Florida, College of Education
2 round-trip tickets anywhere in the USA provided by Southwest Airlines
$1,000 check from the Hillsborough Education Foundation
A one year lease on a brand new Lexus from Lexus of Tampa Bay / Lexus of Clearwater