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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release April 24, 1998

                     1998 National Teacher of the Year
                              April 24, 1998

This year's National Teacher of the Year is Philip Bigler. Mr. Bigler entered the teaching profession in 1975, as a history teacher at his alma mater, Oakton High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. In 1982, disillusioned with his career, he left the classroom to become a historian at Arlington National Cemetery. He returned to the classroom in 1985, and since 1991, he has taught Humanities at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.

Mr. Bigler's innovative and rigorous activities led to his choice as this year's National Teacher of the Year. Interactive historical simulations are the basis of his courses. In World History, his students become members of a Greek polis, and they debate the great issues of the day. While studying Islamic history and culture, they make a sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. In American History and Government, students argue the intricacies of Constitutional law before a mock Supreme Court, conduct the court-martial trial of Lt. William Calley, and wage a campaign for the 1960 presidency.

Mr. Bigler will be joined by his parents, his brother and his sister-in-law.

Fifty-four State Teachers of the Year including teachers from DOD schools, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia will be represented at today's ceremony. They are:

1998 State Teachers of the Year

Pamela Taylor Henson - Alabama           Sonja Schmidt - Alaska
Peggy Woods - Arizona                    Charles Rossetti - Arkansas
Ginger Brown - California                Mark Mavrogianes - Colorado
Marianne R. Cavanaugh - Connecticut      Harry Kutch - Delaware
Brenda Posey - Ramstein, Germany (DoD)   Brenda Gwenetta Jenkins -
                                           Washington, DC
Grace A. Williams - Florida              Jamie P. Lipscomb - Georgia
Roberta Abaday - Guam                    Ellen F. Schroeder - Hawaii
Glenda Jamison Eubanks - Idaho           Steven T. Isoye - Illinois
Kimberly D. Giesting - Indiana           Ruth Ann Gaines - Iowa
Darla Mallein - Kansas                   Susan B. Stucker - Kentucky
Gustavia Evans - Louisiana               Joanne DeFilipp Alex - Maine
Robert Foor-Hogue - Maryland             Mary C. Ginley - Massachusetts
Katherine A. Grzesiak - Michigan         Neil B. Whitikko - Minnesota
Martha G. Hutson - Mississippi           Carol Sue Reimann - Missouri
Patty Holmes Myers - Montana             Patricia Randolph - Nebraska
Bonnie Parnell - Nevada                  Vicki A. Donovan - 
Beth Rose Neiderman - New Jersey           New Hampshire
Carolyn Foster - New Mexico              Selina Akua Ahoklui - New York

Julian L. Coggins, Jr. - North Carolina Vicki L. Boutiette - Sahn Chiet Lim - Northern Mariana Islands North Dakota

William K. Richey - Ohio                 Kay A. Long - Oklahoma
Nicki Gayle Hudson - Oregon              Susan Van Zile - Pennsylvania
Yolanda Rodriguez Fraticelli             Maureen W. Spaight -     
- Puerto Rico                              Rhode Island
Christine Fisher - South Carolina        Denise Bryan - South Dakota
Linda Arms Gilbert - Tennessee           Joe Farley - Texas
Sharon Holmstrom - Utah                  Judith L. Allard - Vermont
Philip Bigler - Virginia                 Yvonne Ullas - Washington
Susan Barrett - West Virginia            Carol Banaszynski - Wisconsin

Mary Ellen Krisko - Wyoming