Five Brainerd lakes area teachers are among 111 candidates vying for the 2012 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.
The candidates have accepted their nominations and completed the required materials to become eligible for the honor. The teachers are David Borash of Brainerd High School; Deanne Trottier, Pequot Lakes; Mary Jo Schaefer, Pierz; and Rebecca Doschadis and Jennifer Ernest, both of Isle.
This year’s program will name the 48th Minnesota Teacher of the Year, celebrating the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, from public or private schools.
The 2012 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced May 6 at The Northland Inn in Brooklyn Park. Over the coming weeks, a 22-member panel of community leaders will name a group of semifinalists and then finalists.
Education Minnesota organizes and underwrites the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program, which receives program and award support from the following organizations: The SMARTer Kids Foundation, The Northland Inn, the Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, United Educators Credit Union, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Teacher Federal Credit Union, Pearson Education and Education Minnesota ESI.
