Head of the Class

2012 Teacher of the Year Rebecca Mieliwocki honored at White House

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On a normal weekday, Rebecca Mieliwocki teaches seventh-grade English at Luther Burbank Middle School in California. But last Tuesday was no ordinary weekday. Mieliwocki was in Washington, D.C., to be honored as the 2012 National Teacher of the Year.

At a ceremony at the White House, President Barack Obama praised Mieliwocki for her commitment to her students and to education. He also lauded (commended) her for setting high expectations for her class and for herself.

"Rebecca is the definition of above and beyond," the President said. "When kids finish a year in Rebecca's class, they're better readers and writers than when they started. But even more than that, they know how important they are. And they understand how bright their futures can be. And they know that if they work at it, there's no limit to what they can achieve."

Mieliwocki will finish the school year with her students in California before formally assuming National Teacher of the Year responsibilities on June 1.

The day before the formal announcement, Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden honored all of the National Teacher of the Year nominees at a reception at the Vice President's residence in Washington.

Mieliwocki found out she would be named the National Teacher of the Year during this reception. Once word made it back to her students and fellow teachers in California, there was a great deal of cheering at Luther Burbank Middle School.

Kid Reporter Hannah Prensky with 2012 National Teacher of the Year Rebecca Mieliwocki (top) and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden at the reception for the National Teacher of the Year nominees. (Photos courtesy Hannah Prensky)

"I got a lot of texts and emails from other teachers saying there was a lot of whooping and hollering at the school when the kids found out I was named National Teacher of the Year," Mieliwocki told the Kids Press Corps.

On assuming the role of National Teacher of the Year, she said that being with the other nominees gave her optimism for the year ahead.

"I hope all the opportunities I'll have will make me better at what I do," she said. "I've certainly learned a lot today from the other teachers in this room that I can bring back to my classroom next year."

"Our students are our future," she added. "So we, their teachers, must do our best to inspire them and guide them to greatness."

Dr. Biden has hosted the National Teacher of the Year reception the last four years. Besides being Second Lady, Dr. Biden is also an educator. She holds a Doctor of Education degree and she's a teacher at a community college.

She said she hopes teachers can inspire their students the way her teacher inspired her.

"Teachers can change the lives of their students. They can turn them on to a subject. They can open up the world to them," Dr. Biden told the Kids Press Corps after the reception. "I had a 12th grade English teacher who taught writing and she inspired me to go into English and to become a teacher."

But the Teacher of the Year nominees said inspiration can come from their students, too.

Joshua Parker is the Maryland State Teacher of the Year. He told the Kids Press Corps that he is the teacher his because of his students.

"They are the kids of the year," Parker added. "It feels great being able to represent my state and to be here right now. I'm in the Vice President's house and tomorrow I'll be at the White House! It can't get better than that!"

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