National Teacher of the Year presents the Class of 2007

Prestigious program, sponsored by ING,

announces state teachers of the year who will vie for national honor presented at the White House

Washington, D.C. – The National Teacher of the Year program, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious awards program for teachers, is pleased to announce its Class of 2007 comprised of educators selected as State Teachers of the Year. The state winners will be honored at a White House ceremony in the spring in which President George W. Bush will name the 2007 National Teacher of the Year. The National Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by ING, is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

“ING is very proud to once again be sponsoring the National Teacher of the Year program that shines the spotlight on teaching excellence,” says Rhonda Mims, president of the ING Foundation. “Education is very important to ING and we admire the thousands of men and women who spend their days in the classroom educating and inspiring young minds.”

The National Teacher of the Year is selected from among the State Teachers of the Year, including those representing American Samoa , Department of Defense Education Activity, District of Columbia , Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands. State teachers are selected on the basis of nominations by students, teachers, principals and school district administrators throughout the states. Applications are then submitted to the CCSSO, where a committee of representatives from 14 national education organizations reviews the data. This week, that committee is meeting to review the applications of each state candidate and select four finalists.

“We have been extremely impressed by the caliber of state teachers who have submitted applications for National Teacher of the Year,” says Gene Wilhoit, executive director of the CCSSO. “The commitment they have shown to educating children and enriching their lives is truly inspirational.”

The names of the four finalists will be announced in January and each will be flown to Washington , D.C. in March for personal interviews with the committee. The 2007 National Teacher of the Year will be named by President Bush during a White House ceremony in the spring. Additional information on the National Teacher of the Year Program can be accessed at http://www.ccsso.org/ntoy.

Here is the list of State Teachers of the Year who comprise the Class of 2007:

Alabama — Cameron Sharbel McKinley; Riverchase Elementary School, Hoover, AL; Technology, K-5

Alaska — Ina B. Bouker; Dillingham Elementary School, Dillingham, AK; Elementary, 1

American Samoa — Joserose S. Jyothibhavan; Tafuna High School, Department of Education, Pago Pago, AS; Chemistry, Physics, 11-12

Arizona — Kristin Bourguet; Marana High School, Tucson, AZ; Science, 9

Arkansas — Justin Minkel; Jones Elementary School , Springdale , AR ; Elementary, 2

California — Alan Lawrence Sitomer: Lynwood High School, Lynwood, CA; Language Arts, 10

Colorado — Susan R. Ryder; Estes Park Middle School, Estes Park, CO; Language Arts, 7

Connecticut — Christopher Poulos; Joel Barlow High School, Redding, CT; Spanish, 9-12

Delaware — Caridad Alonso; William C. Lewis Dual Language Elementary School, Wilmington, DE; Spanish Reading Specialist, 1-5

Department of Defense Education Activity — Patricia Ann Laney; Murray Elementary School, Fort Bragg, NC; Elementary, 4

District of Columbia — Githa Natarajan; John Eaton Elementary School, Washington, D.C.; Elementary, 2

Florida — Conney Dahn; Jensen Beach High School, Jensen Beach, FL; Varying Exceptionalities, 9-12

Georgia — Pam Walker; Alexander High School , Douglasville , GA ; Broad Field Science, 9-12

Hawaii — Jami Muranaka; Kaimuki High School , Honolulu , HI ; Science, 9-12

Idaho — Michael Clabby; Lake City High School , Coeur d Alene , ID ; Computer Graphics and Multimedia, 9-12

Illinois — Joseph G. Fatheree; Effingham High School, 1301 West Grove, Effingham, IL 62401; Technology, 9-12

Indiana — Anna Shults; Fall Creek Elementary School, Fishers, IN; Elementary, 3

Iowa — Jan Keese; Crocker Elementary School , Ankeny , IA ; Reading , 3

Kansas — Joshua M. Anderson; Olathe Northwest High School , Olathe , KS ; Speech and Debate, Language Arts, 9-12

Kentucky — Susanne M. Burkhardt; Simpsonville Elementary School, Simpsonville, KY; Elementary, 2-3

Louisiana — Carol Leah Price; Zachary High School, Zachary, LA; Mathematics, 10-12

Maine — Brittany E. Ray; Narraguagus High School, Harrington, ME; English, 9-12

Maryland — Michele M. Hammond; Stephen Decatur Middle School, Berlin, MD; Language Arts, Reading, 7

Massachusetts — Jessie Auger; Rafael Hernandez Two-Way Bilingual School, Roxbury, MA; Elementary Generalist/Spanish Bilingual, 1

Michigan — Kimberly Kyff; Jamieson Elementary School, Detroit, MI; Elementary, 5

Minnesota — Lee-Ann Stephens; Park Spanish Immersion School , St. Louis Park , MN ; English Language Arts, 5-6

Mississippi — Lee J. James; Choctaw County Career and Technology Center, Ackerman, MS; Agriculture, 10-12

Missouri — Darryl Thomas Johnson; Smithville High School, Smithville, MO; Communication Arts, 10-12

Montana — Gary Alan Carmichael; Whitefish High School, Whitefish, MT; Social Studies, 9-12

Nebraska — Madaline Fennell; Franklin Elementary School, Omaha, NE; Elementary, 6

Nevada — Melanie J. Teemant; Bob Miller Middle School , Henderson , NV ; Reading , 6-8

New Hampshire — Carolyn Kelley; Seacoast School of Technology, Exeter, NH; Biotechnology, 10-12

New Jersey — Karen Ginty; Monmouth Beach Elementary School, Monmouth Beach, NJ; Elementary, K

New Mexico — Tamra A. Tiong; Dulce Elementary School, Dulce, NM; Special Education, K-2

New York — Marguerite D. Izzo; Howard T. Herber Middle School, Malverne, NY; Elementary, 5

North Carolina — Diana F. Beasley; Hickory High School, Hickory, NC; Biology, 10

North Dakota — Marlene Srock; Bel Air Elementary School, Minot, ND; Elementary, 1

Northern Mariana Islands — Acelia Castro Dela Cruz; Tanapag Elementary School, Saipan, MP; Elementary, 5

Ohio — Eric A. Combs; Fairborn High School , Fairborn , OH ; Social Studies, 7-12

Oklahoma — Linda Hasler-Reid; Muskogee 7th & 8th Grade Center, Muskogee, OK 74403; Spanish, 7-8

Oregon — Jackie Cooke; West Gresham Grade School , Gresham , OR ; Elementary, 1

Pennsylvania — Lois J. Rebich; Ross Elementary School, Pittsburgh, PA; Instructional Support, K-6

Puerto Rico — Isabel Rodrquez Santos; Lorenzo Coballes Gandia High School, Hatillo, PR; Marketing, 10-12

Rhode Island – Catherine Davis Hayes; Oakland Beach Elementary School, Warwick, RI; Visual Arts, 1-6

South Carolina — Jennifer H. Murphy; Irmo Elementary School, Irmo, SC; Elementary, 5

South Dakota — Charlotte Mohling; Wessington Springs School District, Wessington Springs, SD; Family & Consumer Sciences, Technology, 8-12

Tennessee — Susanne H. Frensley; Hillsboro Comprehensive High School, Nashville, TN; History, Art History, 9-12

Texas — Dana K. Boyd; Dolphin Terrace Elementary, El Paso , TX ; Elementary, all levels

Utah — Kim Schaefer; Whitehorse High School, Montezuma Creek, UT; Music, 7-12

Vermont — Kathleen Sullivan; Warren Elementary School, Warren, VT; Elementary, 3-4

Virgin Islands — Valrica Bryson; St. Croix Educational Complex, Kingshill, VI; Music, 9-12

Virginia — Susan W. Evans; Rural Retreat High School, Rural Retreat, VA; Mathematics, 9-12

Washington — Andrea Peterson; Monte Cristo Elementary School, Granite Falls, WA; Music, 1-6

West Virginia — Sarah Morris; Berkeley Springs High School , Berkeley Springs , WV ; English, 9-12

Wisconsin — Terry Lee Kaldhusdal; Magee Elementary School , Genesee Depot, WI; Elementary, 4

Wyoming — Mark A. Nethercott; Star Valley High School , Afton , WY ; Science, 9-12

About ING

ING Group is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 60 million private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a diverse workforce of more than 113,000 people, ING comprises a broad spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under the ING brand.

In the U.S. , the ING family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which include life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning and reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves more than 15 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit www.ing.com.

About The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSS0)

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia , the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks members’ consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.