2008 Huntsman Awards

The six teachers, three administrators and volunteer selected for the 16th annual 2008 Huntsman Awards for Excellence in Education will join the ranks of 162 previous winners over the years.

The educators were nominated by their peers and stand out due to their creativity and innovation, dedication and sincere love for students and selfless voluntarism.

They stay after school and arrive early to make sure struggling students don't slip through the cracks, they use their talents and creativity to engage and motivate students, they help other educators become the best they can be and they sacrifice their time to improve their communities.

To celebrate their efforts, the award winners will be honored at a Friday banquet at the Little America Hotel, where each will receive a crystal trophy and a $10,000 check. The honorees in elementary, middle and high schools were selected by a panel of distinguished education and business leaders.

"They were selected from an impressive collection of nominations submitted by schools throughout the state," said Jon Huntsman Sr., whose family sponsors the awards. "Again this year, our winners are among the most outstanding representatives of their peers in the field of education, all of whom we hold in the highest esteem."

The following profiles are derived from the winners' nomination letters.

Dianne Krehbiel

Oakridge Elementary

Salt Lake City

Dianne Krehbiel, music teacher at Oakridge Elementary, is not only an outstanding teacher but a professional musician who works to open up the world of learning for her students through music.

What sets her apart from other teachers is her ability to inspire children with music, nominators said. Through music she has also found ways to help her students learn in areas like math, science and social studies, which has resulted in increased understanding and improved achievement.

She is able to provide an environment where students can explore, improvise, create and work together in ways that don't require paper and pencils.

Krehbiel has also made herself available to mentor college students and other teachers who want to follow in her footsteps. She has been selected by the state to mentor those seeking endorsements, and her classroom has become an observation destination for those training in both music and education from Utah colleges.