2 Provo teachers shine

PROVO — One teacher's eyes filled with tears and the other held his hand to his stomach and announced that he was so shocked he thought he was going to be sick.

The responses of the Provo teachers who won prestigious Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards during assemblies Thursday at their respective schools were, no doubt, unscripted.

Hundreds of children screamed and cheered for Jason "Mr. Z" Zimmerman, a sixth-grade teacher at Sunset View Elementary. The response was the same for Sue Pope, a teacher of a class of fifth- and sixth-graders at Westridge Elementary.

The award includes $25,000 the educators can spend however they please.

Zimmerman and Pope are the Utah recipients of the awards.

Teachers in 48 states will receive awards from the foundation this year, said Jane Foley, the Milken Educator Awards senior vice president.

Zimmerman and Pope put in long hours before and after school and some Saturdays — at least 50 hours a week each, according to their principals.

Both Zimmerman and Pope said they have high expectations for their students and their students always rise to them.

Both teachers take interest in students outside of their classrooms, too. Zimmerman is known throughout the school for his sense of humor and the spectacular drama performances he directs.

Pope is in charge of the school newspaper and coordinates math programs at her school.

"Always, my whole life, I've wanted to be a teacher," Pope said.

"I'll be honest," Zimmerman said. "Every once in a while, I'll ask myself, 'Why did I become a teacher?' Then someone will say, 'Mr. Z, thanks for teaching me how to multiply decimals.' It makes it all worth it."

"Two (teachers) from the same district — it's a great day," Provo District Superintendent Randy Merrill said.

Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction Patti Harrington, who assisted in the assemblies at which the teachers were honored, was formerly a teacher, principal and superintendent in the Provo District.

The Milken Foundation selected the teachers with help of the Utah State Office of Education, which gathered names of teachers in a "talent pool."

State education officials interviewed the teachers under the guise of conducting research for a different project.

The teachers will travel to Southern California in the spring for an education conference and gala. They will receive the money then.

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com