Polk County Public Schools
Congratulations to Danny Whittenton, Kathleen High teacher and 2008 Polk County Teacher Of The Year! Macy’s and the Florida Department of Education have announced that Danny is one of five finalists for Florida Teacher Of The Year. On behalf of Dr. Eric Smith, Florida Department of Education Commissioner, Pamela Stewart, Deputy Chancellor, made the announcement during a surprise visit to Kathleen High this morning. The finalist award included a $1,000 check to Danny’s school and $5,000 to Danny.
The Florida Teacher Of The Year event will be broadcast live statewide on July 10 from Universal Studios in Orlando and hosted by journalist Deborah Norville. Danny is an outstanding ambassador for Polk schools and representative of the excellence in our schools. It is also noteworthy that Polk teachers have gone on to be state Teacher of the Year finalists in three of the last five years--2004, 2005 and 2008--and five of the last 11 years –1998, 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2008. We have had state Teachers Of The Year in 1981 (Beth Johnson, Kathleen High) and 2005 (Samuel Bennett, Garner Elementary). Best of luck to Danny as he competes for Florida’s highest teaching honor.
Danny Whittenton, a history teacher at Lakeland’s Kathleen High and Acela Lumpuy, a custodian at Lakeland’s Southwest Middle took top honors Thursday evening at the Polk County Public Schools 2008 Teacher Of The Year and School-Related Employee Of The Year event held at The Lakeland Center.
Whittenton was named 2008 Teacher Of The Year and Lumpuy was named 2008 School-Related Employee Of The Year before more than 1,000 teachers, staff members, community members, event sponsors and guests. The School-Related award is for paraeducators, secretaries, maintenance, foodservice, transportation and others in support roles.
Teachers and school-related employees were nominated by their individual schools. Whittenton and Lumpuy, along with award finalists, received cash awards and other prizes from event sponsors.