2008 Inspired Teacher Essay Contest

Congratulations to the winners of the 2008 Inspired Teacher Essay Contest!

Thanks, students, for celebrating your teachers in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Check out the Washington Post KidsPost on May 6 for a print edition of the winning essays. See a photo from the awards celebration that ran in the Washington Informer!

To view excerpts from all entries click here.

Cosponsors WHUR 96.5 FM, Washington Post KidsPost, Barnes & Noble, and Center for Inspired Teaching proudly recognize the winning students:


Camille Goold age 9, grade 5
Fairhill Elementary School in Fairfax, VA
Recognizing Mr. Dennis Stephens

My Role Model

Mr. Stephens has taught me many important lessons that I needed to know. My favorite is, “Everybody is good, but nobody is perfect.” This helped me understand that everybody makes mistakes, and we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves, but at the same time encourages us to try our best. He makes sure that everyone understands what is expected and helps everyone to succeed even if they need another chance. He makes learning as exciting as it can be by telling interesting stories from his life to go with each lesson. He is an honorable person who I admire.

Jonece Layne age 12, grade 8
Recognizing Ms. Kendal Ann Gailber
Kenmoor Middle School in Gaithersburg, MD

My Inspirational Teacher

In Ms. Galiber’s Spanish II class there are 28 teachers and learners with a collective motto of la educación es la liberación. We live the language and culture by becoming news reporters, acting in plays, and dressing up in sombreros during presentations to celebrate holidays, such as La Tomatina. She encourages and guides us through the more difficult aspects of Spanish, such as tenses, with Spanish games. I look forward to her class because we think in the language for 72 minutes everyday. Everyone contributes in her class, and each contribution is appreciated. She makes the language come alive.


Ariel Grant age 18, grade 12
Recognizing Mr. Leo Bowman
Benjamin Banneker High School in Washington, DC

An Unforgettable Inspiration

As a senior at Banneker HS, several exceptional educators have taught me. However, none has been as inspirational or has taught at the caliber as my English teacher, Mr. Leo Bowman. Mr. Bowman never fails to present his students with captivating subject matter. “To be or not to be…” read Mr. Bowman as my class embarked on an unforgettable passage through William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. When we finished the play, Mr. Bowman sparked a flame in each of his students for learning. Mr. Bowman inspires me to always challenge myself, and to learn from my surroundings.



© Copyright Center for Inspired Teaching, Barnes & Noble, WHUR 96.3 FM, and Washington Post KidsPost 2008