Sacramento County's 16 district Teachers of the Year 2006, including Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Tom Funk and Alison Stiles, were honored at ARCO Arena Sunday, February 5, during halftime of the Sacramento Kings vs. Utah Jazz game.
The Teachers of the Year 2006 were featured in a special halftime ceremony witnessed by a capacity crowd of 17,317. Officials from Maloof Sports and Entertainment, along with Kings Teacher Appreciation Night sponsor NECA-IBEW (National Electrical Contractors Association/International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), joined Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon and State Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell in greeting Teachers of the Year on the basketball court. Kings guard Bonzi Wells joined the teachers and dignitaries for a commemorative photo.
Prior to the ceremony, the honorees and their guests were hosted to a pre-game Chalk Talk reception and brunch where Kings Assistant Coach Eslton Turner spoke to the gathering about the team's preparation for the upcoming game and about his own coaching experiences. Bonzi Wells also attended the pre-game tribute, spoke to the group, and posed for pictures with the teachers and their guests.
During the pre-game reception, NECA-IBEW Executive Director Fran McDermott presented each teacher with a generous check for $250 to be used for classroom supplies.
For more than a decade, the Sacramento Kings organization has supported recognition of the area's top teachers. The 2005-06 Kings season marks the fifth year of NECA-IBEW's Teacher Appreciation sponsorship.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year program is coordinated annually by the Sacramento County Office of Education to recognize the achievements of local educators and to raise awareness of the valuable role that teachers play in the lives of their students and in the community.