By Staff
special to The Star
Oct. 15, 2003
COLUMBUS Ten Mississippi teachers have been selected as finalists for this year's Hall of Master Teachers, which was established by Mississippi University for Women.
To date, there are 71 members of the Hall of Master Teachers. They include graduates of almost every university and college in the state, as well as those in other states.
This year's finalists are:
Patricia Lewellen Atkins, a fourth-grade teacher at East Corinth Elementary School;
Anita Kelley Boyd, a speech, theater and journalism teacher at R.H. Watkins High School in Laurel;
Gail P. Hammond, a gifted education teacher at Northwest Rankin Middle School in Brandon;
Mary Smith Hardy, a gifted education teacher at Stern Enhancement School in Greenville;
Lynn Jones, a teacher at Northwest Rankin Elementary School in Brandon;
Nettie Mayatt, a retired life science, biology, anatomy and physiology teacher from West Lauderdale High School in Collinsville;
Nancy Barneko Ray, an artistically and intellectually gifted education teacher at Poplar Springs Elementary School in Meridian;
Cathy W. Stewart, a retired first-grade teacher from Lafayette Elementary School in Oxford;
Sherrill M. Wiygul, a biology teacher at Starkville High School; and
Mitzi S. Younger, a retired first-grade teacher from New Hope Elementary in Columbus.
The 10 finalists were chosen from 43 nominees by in-state selection committees.
The final selection will be made by an out-of-state committee to determine who will be inducted into the Hall of Master Teachers during a ceremony Dec. 5 on the MUW campus.
Teachers are judged on their professional activities, educational leadership, contributions to curriculum and course development, teaching philosophy and influence on students and other teachers.
They also are evaluated on their involvement in extracurricular and community activities.
To be eligible, teachers must have at least 15 years of full-time classroom teaching experience, including at least seven in Mississippi schools.