Linda Storey, an 11th-grade English teacher at River Hill High School, was named Maryland Teacher of the Year last night for 2000-2001.
The Howard County teacher was recognized for the quality of her classroom instruction and her extensive efforts to reach out to students, families and local businesses.
"I really view this as a humbling experience, that I represent in a very real way the incredible teachers of this state," Storey said. "I am just the messenger of this year, and I hope to glean the best teaching practices and share them throughout the state."
The award was announced by state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick during a ceremony at Martin's West honoring the teachers of the year from Maryland's 24 public school systems.
Storey - who was cheered on by five tables of Howard County teachers, administrators, students, parents and school board members - said she hopes to spend some of her year encouraging more collaboration between schools and businesses.
A 26-year veteran teacher who has spent the last 17 years in Howard County, Storey helps write curricula, coordinates summer reading projects and demonstrates model lessons for other teachers.
She also designed Project Success - an evening program for teen-agers having trouble adjusting to high school - and developed a mentoring program to match teachers and at-risk students. She is active on River Hill's electronic mail list to communicate with parents and encourage their involvement.
In addition to the award, Storey receives a $5,000 check from the Maryland Business Round- table Foundation, and other prizes. Storey and the 23 other local school system winners will also receive computers, and they were scheduled to meet this morning to discuss education issues.
Storey becomes the state's nominee in the national Teacher of the Year competition, which is expected to be decided in the spring.
Last night's award wasn't the first time that Storey's teaching skills have been recognized. In 1993, she was honored as teacher of the year by the Maryland Council of Teachers of English, and that same year she was named one of 10 educators of the year by the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, when she was teaching at Howard High School.
Last year's winner was Susan Higley, an eighth-grade mathematics teacher at Cherry Hill Middle School in Elkton.
