Congratulations to the following 2012 Teachers of the Year:

Alexandria: Maren Mapp, McKinley Elementary, 4th Grade
Ms. Mapp is awesome! She employs creative and fun teaching tactics, such as singing songs or learning rhymes as mnemonics. She has been able to connect and bond with our daughter, who has high-functioning autism. Prior to this, school was intimidating for her; focus and concentration was an issue. Ms. Mapp was also instrumental in bringing the "Girls on the Run" program to the school. She volunteers to play piano for the school choral group, and in December played with the group at the Vice-President's house during a holiday party. Ms. Mapp is definitely my favorite teacher, and my daughter certainly concurs!

Ashburn: Denise Legg, Sanders Corner School, 1st Grade
Ms. Legg has every quality you would desire in a teacher: kind, intelligent, attentive, and sensitive - overall an incredible educator. She runs a tight ship, and yet the students adore her. She is a musician, and brings music into the classroom. Lessons are fun; students become cartographers when they're studying geography. They become authors and mathematicians. And she cares: she often attends her students’ extracurricular activities in order to make her students feel so very special.

Baltimore: Ashley Hagood, Villa Cresta Elementary, 1st Grade
Mrs. Hagood always goes out of her way to insure learning is fun. She takes the time to work with each and every student and always lends a helping hand to all who need it. She always helps fellow teachers, visitors, parents and all whom she encounters. Mrs. Hagood also helps with drama club and volunteers to stay late after school has ended to work with the students in the club. She is someone that honestly gets enjoyment out of molding our children for the future!

Columbia: Debra Bellamy, Patuxent Valley Middle School, Special Education
Ms. Bellamy is a fantastic teacher. She works with students with special needs including learning disabilities, autism and behavioral issues. Despite battling cancer this year, she has always continued to put the students first. Ms. Bellamy has been a fantastic asset to the school system for years and is such a valuable asset to kids with special needs. She continues to fight for the kids with the same passion with which she has had to fight for her health over the last year! This would be an incredible and well-deserved help and treat to her and her family.