MCLEAN, Va., Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY named 20 winners to its ninth All-USA Teacher Team, honoring them as representatives of all outstanding teaching in our nation's schools. The 2006 All-USA Teacher Team includes 19 individuals and a team of two (21 teachers in total) in grades K- 12.

USA TODAY's All-USA Teacher Team honors individuals and instructional teams throughout the country. Team members will receive trophies and share $2,500 with their schools, with each teacher receiving $500. All are honored in the nation's newspaper as representatives of outstanding teachers.

"We're pleased to honor these remarkable teachers who enhance education with initiative, enthusiasm and insight. They make a real difference for their students, schools and communities," said USA TODAY Editor Ken Paulson.

    Following are the Team winners:

    * Cindy Lou Aillaud
      Delta Elementary School, Delta Junction, Alaska
    * Patti Ball
      Lincoln Elementary School, Corvallis, Ore.
    * Luajean Bryan
      Walker Valley High School, Cleveland Tenn.
    * Kathy Ann Coll
      North Allegheny Intermediate High School, Pittsburgh, Pa.
    * Randy Cook
      Tri County Area High School, Howard City, Mich.
    * Nancy Elliott
      Chillicothe Middle School, Chillicothe Mo.
    * Mary Hinson
      Catalina Magnet High School, Tucson, Ariz.
    * Nancy Yacavone Karpyk
      Weirton Heights Elementary School, Weirton, W.Va.
    * Elizabeth A. Ketelle
      Golden Sierra High School, Garden Valley, Calif.
    * Patrice Powell McCrary
      Cumberland Trace Elementary School, Bowling Green, Ky.
    * Susan Menkes
      Cantiague Elementary School, Jericho, N.Y.
    * Paula R. Moore
      Williamsport High School, Williamsport, Md.
    * Sandra Noel
      Hatch Elementary School, Oak Park, Ill.
    * Warren G. Phillips
      Plymouth Community Intermediate School, Plymouth, Mass.
    * Diana Schmiesing
      Providence Elementary School, Fairfax, Va.
    * Susie Stevens
      Latta High School, Ada, Okla.
    * Robert Tadjiki
      Bend Senior High School, Bend, Ore.
    * Kim Waltmire
      Colchester Elementary School, Colchester, Conn.
    * Darrell S. Woods
      Hoover High School, North Canton, Ohio
    * Emerson/Team
      Sandra L. Bennett
      Gene L. Williams
      Emerson High School, Oklahoma City, Okla.

The All-USA Teacher Team was selected by a panel of judges from nominees across the country. Teachers could be nominated by school administrators, students (past or present), students' parents, colleagues or family members. Teachers were then asked to describe their schools and students' needs and how they go about meeting those needs.

Criteria for the All-USA Teacher Team were developed in consultation with our co-sponsors: the National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Middle School Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and the National Education Association.

    The 2006 All-USA Teacher Team final judges were:

    * Carol Antes, 1998 Teacher Team
    * Betty Bigney, 2000 Teacher Team
    * David Cordts, National Association of Secondary School Principals
    * Carol Deets, National Middle School Association
    * Robert Dubill, Former Executive Editor, USA TODAY
    * Penelope Earley, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
    * Anna-Marie Halstead, National Education Association
    * Tim McDonough, American Council on Education
    * Carol Riley, National Association of Elementary School Principals
    * Robert Thornton, Housatonic Community College, Bridgeport, CT

For more information on these winners see the Thursday, October 19, editions of USA TODAY or log on to http://allstars.usatoday.com.

USA TODAY is the nation's top-selling newspaper. It is published via satellite at 36 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE:GCI).

Source: USA TODAY