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July 25, 2012

ULM alums honored as Louisiana Teachers of the Year

Two University of Louisiana at Monroe alums were honored at the sixth annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Symposium and Celebration in Baton Rouge on July 20.

The event honored more than 300 of Louisiana's top educators.

Amy L. Weems, (B.S., ’97; Ed.D., ‘11) teacher of “Home Living” at Ouachita Parish Junior High School, was named the 2013 Louisiana Teacher of the Year.

A third generation teacher with more than eight years of experience in Louisiana schools, Weems has taught Home Living to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders for the past year and a half at OPJHS.

Weems was selected from 24 regional finalists for the distinction of Louisiana's 2013 Teacher of the Year.

In a prize package worth nearly $50,000, Weems will receive a one-year lease on a Mercedes, two round-trip plane tickets from Baton Rouge Metro Airport, a 4-day car rental from Enterprise, jewelry, compliments of Cohn Turner, a SMART Board with projector and software from SMART Technologies, a scholarship for a Dale Carnegie Training Program, an appearance at halftime of a Louisiana State University football game, the chance to throw out the first pitch at an LSU baseball game, free Raising Cane's for a year, and $5,000 from Dream Teachers.

Also honored was Melissa Williams, (B.A., ’92), a 4th grade teacher at Highland Elementary School in West Monroe.

Williams was named Louisiana Elementary School Teacher of the Year.

Williams will receive Community Coffee for one year in the school lounge, two tickets to Blue Bayou Water Park in Baton Rouge from Coca Cola, an ActivSound 100 system with four speakers from AXI Ed Solutions, a leather laptop bag from Pearson's Travel, a $100 gift certificate from School Aids, a $100 discount coupon from H&R Block Tax Preparation and $2,500 from Dream Teachers.

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