Five LDS teachers honored at White House

WASHINGTON — Five Mormon teachers from Washington,

Utah, Nevada and Illinois were honored with Presidential Awards for

Excellence

in Mathematics and Science Teaching at White House ceremonies earlier

this

year.

__IMAGE1__Vickie Ahlstrom, Michele Brees, Zan Coonce, Natalie Robinson

and Nola Wilkinson were among the nearly 90 winners who had to submit a

video

tape of a lesson, a lengthy report analyzing and reflecting on the

lesson, a

resume and three letters of recommendation to their respective state

judges,

who then chose the best to be considered by a national judge panel. The

winners

were nominated by peers or administrators.

Ahlstrom, a member of the Grove Creek 6th Ward, Pleasant

Grove Utah Grove Creek Stake, teaches high-ability and gifted

sixth-graders at

Sego Lily Elementary School in Lehi, Utah. She's been a teacher for 10

years.

Inspired by a now-deceased friend, Ahlstrom feels the award allows her

to promote

science education throughout Utah. She also said being in tune with the

Spirit

is essential to success in the classroom.

"It's really important that I be in tune with the

Spirit and say a prayer before I go to school, so I can be prepared to

meet