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Barnes & Noble Launches Eighth Annual “My Favorite Teacher Contest”

  • 01/02/18

New York, N.Y. –– Barnes & Noble, Inc.,the world’s largest retail bookseller, today announced the start of the 2018 “Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest,” which for the past eight years has provided middle and high school students the opportunity to tell their communities how much they appreciate their teachers. 

Students can nominate their teacher starting today by writing essays, poems or thank-you letters that share how their teacher has influenced their life and why they appreciate and admire them.  Participating schools collect the essays and submit them to their local Barnes & Noble store for consideration. Entries are judged on the compelling nature of the teacher’s inspiring qualities, the sincerity of the student’s appreciation and the quality of expression and writing. 

Teachers from middle schools and high schools are eligible for nomination. Awards for winning teachers, schools and students include cash prizes, NOOK® devices and more. 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 teachers will be recognized in spring 2018 at events held at their local Barnes & Noble stores, where they will each receive a special award acknowledging their achievement, as well as additional recognition and praise from their community. The students who wrote the winning essays or poems will each receive a certificate of recognition, and will also be honored at the ceremonies. 

Each regional winner will receive a $500 Barnes & Noble gift card. From the pool of regional winners, Barnes & Noble will name one teacher the “Barnes & Noble National Teacher of the Year.” The national winner will receive $5,000 and be recognized at a special community celebration at their local Barnes & Noble store. Their school will also receive $5,000. The student who writes the national winning essay, poem or thank-you letter will win a $500 Barnes & Noble gift card and a NOOK.

Last year’s winner, Laura Braly, an eleventh grade Paramedical Biology teacher from Dulaney High School in Baltimore, MD, who was nominated by former student Randy Davidson, had this to say about winning: “It’s truly an honor to be recognized by Barnes & Noble as Teacher of the Year. I cannot thank them or Randy Davidson enough for this award. As a teacher, you encounter many students throughout your career and you hope to make an impact on as many of them as possible. Having one of those students, like Randy, come back and thank you for inspiring and educating them is a reward like no other.”

Barnes & Noble has long supported teachers through Educator Appreciation Weeks, special discounts, personalized service, in-store events, bookfairs, store tours for classrooms, and, since 2010, through the My Favorite Teacher Contest. 

“Our annual My Favorite Teacher Contest is one of our favorite ways to celebrate educators,” said Tracy Vidakovich, Vice President, Business Development for Barnes & Noble. “Teachers are incredibly important members of the community and each year the contest honors hundreds of them for their contributions to learning and aspiration.”

The Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest submission period begins today and ends March 2, 2018. Students who want to participate must submit their essay or poem to their local Barnes & Noble store by March 2. Only middle and high school students and active teachers employed in elementary, middle or high schools in the United States are eligible to win.

Customers should visit their local store or www.bn.com/myfavoriteteacher for complete details and official My Favorite Teacher Contest rules. Additionally, photos and the winning essay from the 2017 My Favorite Teacher Contest can be found at www.bn.com/myfavoriteteacher.

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