Community Corner

Show Your Favorite Teacher Some Love—And Help Them Win Prizes, Too

Share why you appreciate your favorite teacher so much, and your teacher and school could win money and prizes.

No matter how old you get, you can always remember your favorite teacher—the one who made school a little more fun, a little less boring, or a lot more inspiring.

Now, kids around the Fairfax area can show their favorite teacher just how special and important they are, and how much they appreciate them, by nominating them for Barnes & Noble's "My Favorite Teacher" contest. 

The winning teachers will win gift cards, Nook e-readers and thousands in cash—and the schools can win cash as well.

Barnes & Noble (B&N) is now accepting nomination submissions from middle and high school students in the Fairfax County area. The nominations can be in the form of essays, poems or thank-you letters "that share how their teacher has influenced their life and why they appreciate and admire their teacher," said Sarah Emmett, community relations manager of the Fair Lakes B&N location. 

"Entries will be judged on the compelling nature of the teacher’s qualities, the sincerity of the student’s appreciation, and the quality of expression and writing," Emmett explained.

The contest is broken down into local and regional winners, from which the Barnes & Noble national "Teacher of the Year" will be chosen. 

The local winning teacher will be recognized at an event at the Fair Lakes Barnes & Noble store in Fairfax, "where they will receive a special award acknowledging their achievement, and additional recognition and praise from their community." The student who wrote the winning entry will also receive a certificate of recognition and will be honored.

The winning local teacher will then be entered into the regional contest. Each regional winner will win a Nook e-reader and a $500 B&N gift card.

From the regional winners, B&N will select its national Teacher of the Year. The national winner will win $5,000 cash, as well as $5,000 for his or her school. A ceremony honoring the national winner will be held at his or her local store.

Emmett said the contest is one of her favorite events to help coordinate each year, and she's excited to kick it off.

"The Barnes & Noble 'My Favorite Teacher' contest is just one more way for Barnes & Noble and the community to recognize how important teachers can be in their students’ lives,” she said. "A gesture as simple and pure as a child writing kind words about their teacher and reading it aloud to them at a My Favorite Teacher celebration often prompts tears among many involved."

Emmett said, year-round, B&N offers 20 percent off all purchases for classroom use and 25 percent off on classroom and personal purchases during Barnes & Nobles' Educator Appreciation Weeks. In addition, the "B&N@School" section in each store provides educational tools for parents, teachers and librarians.

To Nominate a Teacher

Entries can be collected by teachers or administrators at any school in the Fairfax County area, and Sarah Emmett from B&N will come to the school to collect them from the office.

In addition, entries can be mailed to Sarah Emmett, Community Relations Manager, Barnes & Noble Fairfax, 12193 Fair Lakes Promeande Dr., Fairfax, VA 22033.

Anyone with questions can contact Emmett at the Fair Lakes store in Fairfax at 703-278-8527.

For more information on the contest, click here.


TELL US - Who's your favorite teacher? Or, parents, who's your favorite teacher of your child's? Share in the comments below.


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