Nebo names its teachers of the year

SPANISH FORK — Payson High School chemistry teacher Linda Walter wants her subjects to make better choices than her generation.

"I teach them to think and reason," she said. "I'm very involved with my students. I don't want them to make the same mistakes as their predecessors."

Walter sees herself as a tour guide for her students' high school journey.

"They're not here to know everything; they just need to know where to find it," she said.

She also teaches physics, astronomy and pre-calculus.

Recently she was named Nebo School District Teacher of the Year for secondary education.

Each year district schools nominate and name their teachers of the year, who become nominees for the district award. Walter represented Payson High in the Nebo Education Association honor. The association is affiliated with the Utah Education Association.

"Linda has an unbelievable talent of being able to share intelligence with her students. She can make every student feel like he or she is her favorite," said assistant principal Bart Peery.

In addition to student involvement, teachers of the year are screened on educational history, professional associations and activities, awards and community involvement and personal philosophy of education.

Although Walter is involved with her students during the school year, when summer comes, she treats herself to new experiences that stretch her, she said.

She's done astronomy research at Brigham Young University and worked with a biophysicist at Idaho State University on a radiation project and worked in nuclear research. This summer she continues her nuclear research in Octavia, Ill.

Other Nebo District teachers of the year are:

• Brenda Burr — Springville High School

• Randy Bartholomew — Payson Middle School

• Darrell Wyatt — Mapleton Junior High

• Joseph Anson — Spanish Fork Junior High.

• Karl Hales — Spanish Fork High

• Elizabeth Bass — Landmark High School

• J. Brent Wood — Springville Junior High

• Melanie McKinlay — Payson Junior High

• Dennis Olsen — Spanish Fork Middle School.