August 27, 2002

Two ISU alumnae finalists for
2003 Indiana Teacher of the Year

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — After boasting state Teacher of the Year winners in 2000 and 2001, two Indiana State University alumni are now among the 10 finalists for the 2003 Indiana Teacher of the Year Award. They are: Debbie Davidson of Brownsburg and Sandra Witherby of Richmond.

Davidson teaches business for grades 10-12 at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, where she has taught since 1989. In 2002 alone, she earned the Metropolitan School District Wayne Township Teacher of the Year Award, the Ben Davis High School Teacher of the Year Award and a Golden Apple Award for her achievements. She earned her bachelor's degree in business education from Indiana State University in 1983, and her master's from Indiana University in 1987.

Witherby teaches second grade at Vaile Elementary School in Richmond, where she has taught since 1987. In 2002, Witherby has been named Vaile's Teacher of the Year, the Richmond Community Schools Elementary Teacher of the Year and Richmond Community Schools District Teacher of the Year. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Indiana State University in 1969 and her master's from Ball State University in 1973.

The Indiana Teacher of the Year and a runner-up will be selected after finalists are interviewed Sept. 3 by a six-member Indiana Department of Education committee. Kathy Politz, Indiana Teacher of the Year for 2000 and a 1970 ISU graduate, will be among the committee members. The winner will represent the state of Indiana at the national competition in Washington, D.C., in April.

Fifty-five public and non-public educators were nominated this year by local school superintendents. All will be honored during a ceremony and dinner Nov. 6 at the Indianapolis Omni North Hotel.

The Teacher of the Year program recognizes outstanding teachers as representatives of the more than 60,000 teachers in the state's 293 public school corporations and in all state-accredited nonpublic schools. The program is sponsored by the Department of Education, the Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc., the Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, and Scholastic Inc.

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Contact:
Jack Maynard, dean, ISU School of Education
jack-maynard@indstate.edu or (812) 237-2919

Writer:
Maria Greninger, Associate Director of Public Affairs
(812) 237-3791 or m-greninger@indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu