Edison Elementary School in the San Juan Unified District had two very tall and very special visitors on November 15. Sacramento Kings players Donte Greene and Samuel Dalembert stopped by to recognize Shannan Brown as both a Sacramento County Teacher of the Year 2011 and State Teacher of the Year 2011, and to promote the joys of education.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell recently selected Ms. Brown and Kadhir Rajagopal, a math teacher at Grant Union High School in the Twin Rivers Unified School District, as two of the five California Teachers of the Year for 2011.
At Edison Elementary, the Kings players read aloud to an assembly of students from Ms. Brown's current and last year's fifth-grade classes. They shared their recollections of school and talked about what inspires and motivates them. The players also reminded the children to appreciate school and to value the lessons they are being taught.
"Reading is knowledge and knowledge is power," Dalembert told the students.
Greene and Dalembert also posed with the students for a group picture and each child took home an autographed tote bag filled with gifts, along with a book.
Ms. Brown and her students also received donations from some generous community partners. Leroy Tripette, Education Manager for Intel-Folsom, presented Ms. Brown with two digital microscopes for her classroom. In addition, Wells Fargo Regional Vice President Chevo Ramirez, and Richard Cwynar, Vice President Marketing Director, provided the top teacher with a $1,000 donation for classroom supplies.
For almost 17 years, the Sacramento Kings have helped recognize district and county Teachers of the Year. District and County Teachers of the Year 2011 in Sacramento County will be honored, at ARCO Arena, when the Sacramento Kings host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, February 4, 2011. The Sacramento River Cats will also host a special Teacher Appreciation Night, at Raley Field, on Monday, May 2, 2011, when they host the Salt Lake Bees.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by the Sacramento County Office of Education in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, the Sacramento River Cats, the Intel Corporation Folsom and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.
Information about the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year program is available online or by phoning the Sacramento County Office of Education at (916) 228-2417.