Recognizing Teachers Who Inspire
From All Sorts of Disciplines, From All Over the Region, They Share a Spark

By Elissa Silverman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 2, 2008

These teachers teach to the soul, not to the test.

When Patricia Herr's students had trouble grasping physics, she asked them for suggestions on how to make the concepts more understandable. The eighth-graders at Smart's Mill Middle School in Loudoun County built an electric-powered roller coaster.

History teacher Lisa Racine has her students at C.D. Hylton Senior High School in Prince William County lie on their sides on the floor to understand how slaves were transported by ship from Africa.

The two were among 20 teachers honored last night with the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, presented annually by The Washington Post to exceptional leaders and innovators in local schools.

Donald E. Graham, chairman of the Washington Post Co., called those selected "amazing." This is the 25th anniversary of the award, named for Graham's grandmother, Agnes Meyer, a vigorous advocate for public education.

Katharine Weymouth, Meyer's great-granddaughter and the recently named publisher of The Post, said that Meyer wrote: "Education is a war -- a war against poverty, ignorance and despair. It is the only constructive war any nation can wage."

The Meyer recipients -- one teacher from each of the 19 public school systems in the Washington area and one private school teacher -- were chosen by their systems based on recommendations from students, parents, colleagues and supervisors. Each winner receives $3,000 and a crystal apple.

Graham read excerpts from the testimonials to introduce the varied group, which included teachers in math, science, English, music and physical education. There were English teachers who made language beautiful, math teachers who made algebra enjoyable and science teachers who made chemistry -- gasp -- fun.

Then there's the work of Wesley McCune, a music teacher for 19 years at John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria. He not only gets his students to listen to opera, but he also convinces them that writing text, rhythms and melodies for arias about such historical figures as George Mason and Thomas Jefferson is a blast.

Endorsing Gwen McWhorter of A. Mario Loiederman Middle School in Montgomery County, her principal wrote, "I longed for the day I could build a school around her."

The influence of these teachers go far beyond the classroom walls, several students wrote.

"Mr. Florio is not only an educator in math but in life," one wrote about Jeffrey A. Florio of Manassas Park High School.

The other winners in Maryland are Julia Rice, Germantown Elementary School in Anne Arundel County; Patricia Casto, Huntingtown High School in Calvert County; Vera Young, Westlake High School in Charles County; Nancy T. Kelley, Middletown Primary School in Frederick County; Kelly Horan, Reservoir High School in Howard County; Natalie Stephenson, Kenmoor Middle School in Prince George's County; Ben Peterson, Leonardtown Elementary School in St. Mary's County; and Xu Duan, Queen Anne School, a private school in Prince George's County.

Yusef Chisholm, a music teacher at Hardy Middle School, was honored in the District.

Other winners in Virginia are Ward John Merritt, Randolph Elementary School in Arlington County; Michelle Ohanian, Mountain View Alternative High School in Fairfax County; Jed Frei, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Falls Church; Barbara A. Dennee, P.B. Smith Elementary School in Fauquier County; Ann Kulakowski, Osbourn High School in Manassas; and Beth Lepp, Garrisonville Elementary School in Stafford County.