For Hometown News
The five Volusia Teacher of the Year finalists have been named.
They are:
Jami L. Atkinson, ESE consultation teacher/ academic coach, Heritage Middle School.
Emily E. Edwards, fourth grade, Starke Elementary School.
Melanie Kestory, third grade, DeBary Elementary School.
Amber Leahey McAndrew, fourth/fifth grade gifted, Tomoka Elementary School.
Jonathan Pearce, history/civics, DeLand Middle School.
Seventy teachers were chosen by their peers to represent each of Volusia County's public schools. Those 70 teachers were narrowed to a field of five finalists, who are competing for the honor of being named Volusia County School District's 2014 Teacher of the Year.
The 2014 district Teacher of the Year winner will be announced at a gala banquet to be held Friday, Jan. 25, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanwalk Resort.
The district Teacher of the Year will be nominated for the state Teacher of the Year program and will serve as Volusia's representative of quality education until February 2014. The current Volusia County Teacher of the Year is Leslie Birney, a fourth grade teacher at Citrus Grove Elementary School.
The Teacher of the Year celebration is co-sponsored by FUTURES Foundation and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce.