Angela Walker of Mt Laurel Elementary, Edwina Aaron of Thompson Middle and Susan Hyatt of Shelby County High School are overall Shelby County Teacher of the Year award winners for their grade levels for 2005-06.

The awards, sponsored by the Greater Shelby County Education Association, were presented at the Cheslea High School Auditorium on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

And the Shelby County Legislative Delegation, represented by State Rep. Cam Ward, presented the overall Teacher of the Year winner for each grade level with a check for $500.

Also recognized were the 31 other Teacher of the Year nominees from each school.

Walker, a third grade teacher at Mt Laurel, has been teaching for 15 years. She holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is enrolled in a doctoral program with reading specialist certification.

She is a certified reading recovery teacher and holds national board certification and coordinates the volunteer &8220;Reading Buddy&8221; program.

She is also president-elect of the Centrala Reading Council and has both presented and served as a mentor to fellow teachers in the area of reading instruction.

Walker wrote that her greatest contributions and accomplishments &8220;have been the lives that I have touched by not simply teaching the curriculum but reaching out to my student as fellow members of the learning community.&8221;

Aaron, an eighth grade counselor at Thompson Middle, taught for more than 31 years at TMS. She holds a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Montevallo and is sponsor for Student Ambassadors.

She has served on the state board and as president of her professional organization, Alpha Delta Kappa, and was elected to serve as historian for the international organization.

She has presented workshops at UAB, UM, Talladega County Counselors and Alabama Counselors Conference.

Aaron wrote of her greatest accomplishments and contributions, &8220;Getting to know students, listening to their concerns, offering a comfortable place to talk and providing support when needed are the investments I have made in lives of TMS students over the past years.&8221;

Hyatt, an 11th grade English and journalism teacher at SCHS, has taught school for 12 years. She holds a master’s degree in English from UM and is currently working on her certification in administration from the University of South Alabama.

She serves as sponsor of the school newspaper and Future Teachers of America, has been involved in her professional organization, the Alabama Education Association.

She also recently served as president of the Shelby County Education Association and presented at the High Schools That Work national convention.

Hyatt wrote of what led her to become a teacher and her greatest contributions and accomplishments, &8220;People who believed in me and constantly reminded me that I could do something great … be something great. What could possibly be better than touching the life of a child?&8221;

Other Teacher of the Year candidates who were honored included: Joyce Lyle, Calera Elementary; Amy Floyd, Chelsea Elementary; Donna Brown, Creek View Elementary; Stacey Smith, Elvin Hill Elementary; Melanie Henderson, Helena Elementary; Celia Ingram, Helena Intermediate; Inga Clum, Inverness Elementary; Ashley Perry, Linda Nolen Learning Center; Janie Ailshie, Meadow View Elementary; Susan Thurmond, Montevallo Elementary; Melanie Hogan; Oak Mountain Elementary; Jerry Bullock, Oak Mountain Intermediate; Donna Glausier, Shelby Elementary; Dorothy Turner, Thompson Intermediate; Jody Dickens, Valley Elementary; Miran Payne, Valley Intermediate; Michelle Trigg, Vincent Elementary; Deana Rizzo, Chelsea Middle;

Allen Kirkland, Columbiana Middle; Raynette Ellison, Montevallo Middle; Diane Cline, Oak Mountain Middle; Rene’ Day, Riverchase Middle; Tami Moran, Alternative School; Janis Comer, Calera Middle/High; Watt Parker, Chelsea High; Keith Adair, Montevallo High;

Amanda Bittinger, Oak Mountain High; Betty Shivers, Pelham High; James Casey, School of Technology; Diane Worrell, Thompson High; and Kimberly Benefield, Vincent Middle/High