Layton teacher named state's best

LAYTON — Layton Elementary teacher Marie Stevenson received a surprise Thursday — a state title and $10,000 to spend on the school at her discretion.

Under the guise of a literacy assembly, the school was brought together for the announcement naming Stevenson Wal-Mart's State Teacher of the Year.

"I was just in shock," Stevenson said. "There is not a teacher that doesn't dream about what they would do if they had a lot of money to spend in the classroom."

Stevenson was selected by Phi Delta Kappa International professional education association as one of the nation's top educators in Wal-Mart's 10th annual Teacher of the Year program.

She was selected as the State Teacher of the Year from among teachers throughout the state for contributions to education and the positive impact made on students.

Three years ago Stevenson decided to retire after 30 years in the classroom. Right afterward she decided to teach music part time as a way of easing into retirement. But when the school needed a fourth-grade teacher last year, Stevenson answered the call.

"I just came back and thought, this is where I belong; I am home again,' " Stevenson said.

She said she has one main philosophy in the classroom — "I want them to be better people just for having been in my room."

Each Wal-Mart store in the state selects a teacher of the year from its area and awards that person $1,000. Then those teachers go to the state competition.

Stevenson was selected last May as Layton Wal-Mart's teacher of the year.

Jay Knudson, Layton Wal-Mart's store manager, said about 40 stores in the state participate in the contest.

"We applaud the achievements of educators like Marie Stevenson who are making a positive difference every day in the classroom," said Knudson.

Stevenson's next task is deciding how to use the $10,000. But she said she has received a number of suggestions from her students — build a swimming pool, divide it up among her class and buy flat-screen TVs. She was thinking more along the lines of new basketball courts or a classroom set of keyboards.

Stevenson is not sure exactly what she will do with the money but said she plans on meeting with the principal to see where it is most needed.

Wal-Mart has given around $4.3 million this year to the schools of winning teachers. Since the Teacher of the Year program began in 1995, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has honored more than 25,000 teachers nationwide and donated more than $18.5 million to local schools.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com