Payson Roundup

Andy Towle/Roundup - atowle@payson.com

Donna Moore

From a pool of hundreds of deserving teachers, one Payson teacher is in contention to be Arizona’s 2010 teacher of the year.

Donna Moore, physical education teacher at Julia Randall Elementary School, was recently named one of five ambassadors for excellence by the Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF).

Originally, AEF selected 10 finalists for the teacher of the year honor. From this group of 10, five teachers were chosen as semi-finalists and are not in contention for the title.

The remaining five, including Moore, were named ambassadors, and one of them will be named Arizona Teacher of the Year.

The final teacher of the year will be determined by AEF through an extensive review process. The winner is named at the 2010 Arizona Teacher of the Year Lunch at the Camelback Inn on Thursday, Nov. 5.

If Moore wins the title, she would receive a $20,000-cash reward, a laptop from Intel Corporation, a chance to compete for the national teacher of the year title, a trip to space camp in Huntsville, Ala., a meeting with the president of the United States, a scholarship to Argosy University and professional speech training.

The remaining ambassadors will serve as spokespersons for their profession and will receive a $5,000-cash reward, a laptop from Intel Corporation, professional speech training, and a scholarship from Argosy University for 50 percent of the cost of tuition toward a master’s or doctorate in education.

The five semi-finalists each receive $1,000. The program is made possible through the support of presenting sponsor Wells Fargo. 

AEF’s 2010 Ambassadors for Excellence (one of whom will be named Arizona Teacher of the Year) are: Moore of Payson; Cynthia Rolewski, technology, reading, La Cima Middle School, Tucson, Amphitheater District; Barbara Tingle, kindergarten, Sahuarita Primary School, Sahuarita; Jamie Valderrama, biology, Higley High School, Gilbert, Higley Unified District; Joy Weiss, first-grade, Balsz Elementary School, Phoenix.