Virginia Cofield—26th year of teaching, Cardinal Valley, 5th Grade  

"I believe that every child can learn and should strive for excellence. I have always stressed the importance to my students of being the best they can be and that there is nothing they cannot accomplish if they are sincere, patient and determined to reach their goals. 

"My most rewarding experiences are when I see children's faces 'light up' in my classroom and they respond, 'Oh, I get it,' or when I meet former students who have finished school and are working and making a difference. I feel great. C'est tres bien. 

"When I retire, I plan to compile memory albums of my many students over the years."

"As a French middle school teacher I'm able to expose and open the minds of my students to a new language and to many different cultures. I love teaching to all learning styles using different methods. I'm very proud to be a teacher and to share my love of learning with young people."

Beth Fritz—5th year of teaching, Harrison Elementary, 2nd Grade

"I awaken each morning wanting to be with my children. I feel so fortunate to be doing what I love—teaching."

"There is no doubt in my mind that every student who enters my room has the ability to learn and master the material taught in the courses I teach. The challenge for me in education, lies in my ability to motivate my students to want to successfully master the content. I believe that the keys to this motivation lie in my ability to help my students maintain a positive attitude about the educational process and instill in them the passion I have not only for the content of the class in particular but for the educational process as a whole. 

"Another key to the motivational process is helping students realize the connections between their every day experiences and the relationship these experiences have with the material being taught. Once these connections are made, they can only enhance the students' ability achieve a real world working knowledge of the content."

Anne Murray—13th year of teaching, Southern Middle School, 7th Grade Social Studies

"One of the greatest satisfactions and joys in teaching is when I am able to build upon the special gifts and talents of the students and watch them shine."