Nominations sought for Lakin Teaching Award

SHENANDOAH -- For the past three years, KMA and the Green Hills Area Education Agency have presented the Charles E. Lakin Outstanding Teacher Award. Two instructors within a 40 mile radius of Emerson -Lakin's hometown- receive the award each year for efforts in enticing students to come to school each day.

This year, the Lakins have decided to add a second award during the 2010-2011 school years. Nominations for the 2011 awards will be accepted March 7 through April 15 through a special link available at kmaland.com. This year's recipients will be announced in May. Both recipients receive $10,000, while their schools receive $2,500. As an added bonus, the two people who write the winning nominations will each win an I-Pad and a third I-Pad will be awarded to a nominator from the total pool. Also, each week of the six week entry window, one winner from the pool of people nominating will receive a $50 check. With this spring's process, the Lakins will have awarded $50,000 to four teachers in one school year.

A well-known area philanthropist, Lakin created the award in 2008 to recognize teachers who "entice kids to come to school each day," and see teaching as a calling, rather than a job.