2012-2013 Teacher of the Year finalists give their speeches

On August 20^th, the three 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year (TOY) finalists completed their third and final leg of their competition with TOY Speech Presentation.  This year’s finalists are Mona Keeler, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Iron Horse Middle; Terryl Miller, Moraga School District, Los Perales Elementary; and Rona Zollinger, Martinez Unified School District, Vicente Martinez High.  Each candidate gave a three- to five-minute speech, titled, “What have I learned from my students.”

(l-r) Miller, Zollinger, Keeler

The Speech Presentation panel was made up of an impressive group of Contra Costa County representatives that included education, government, and business:

(standing, l-r) Contra Costa County Sheriff David Livingston; Contra Costa Times Account Executive Maxine Nelson; Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson; Contra Costa County Public Defender Robin Lipetzky; and Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Daryl Louder.                 

(seated, l-r) California State University, East Bay Teacher Education Department Chair Dr. Jeanette Bicais; Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Diana Becton; Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Jill Fannin; and Contra Costa Community College District Chancellor Dr. Helen Benjamin.