A San Diego teacher is one of four finalists nominated for the National Teacher of the Year award.
San Diego teachers Kelly Kovacic and Melanie Tolan were selected as two of the California Teachers of the Year for 2010 several months ago.
Kovacic, who teaches 12th grade government and politics and 11th grade history courses as The Preuss School in La Jolla, Calif., will compete for the national honor.
The Preuss School is an intensive college preparatory school for low-income student populations.
“They come to us and they enter our classes looking for the support and the belief and the necessary help to get through and break that cycle of poverty,” said Kovacic. “These students and students sitting in the classes throughout the state of California are our future leaders and we cannot let them down.”
Tolan teaches English-language arts, History, and Physical Education at the Sarah Anthony School. Her students are in the custody of Juvenile Hall.
Tolan and Kovacic join three other educators from other parts of the state including Amber Carrow from Riverside, Kathy R. Marvin from Irvine and Valerie Ziegler from San Francisco.
Last year's California Teacher of the Year was also from San Diego County. Alex Kajitani, aka the Rappin' Mathematician, teaches at Mission Middle School in the Escondido Union School District.
In 2008, two teachers were named as finalists. Tamara "Tammy" Reina taught English and U.S. History at East Mesa School in San Diego and Andee Aceves taught third grade at San Altos Elementary School in Lemon Grove in the Lemon Grove School District.
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The 2010 National Teacher of the Year will be announced in April and then honored at the White House.
