Lopez teachers Diane Mayer and Elizabeth Simpson have received the 2012 Teacher of Excellence Award from The Evergreen State College.  The award honors teachers who have made a difference in the lives of their students.

They were nominated for the award by Jamie Cummins, a former Lopez High School student, who now attends  Evergreen State College.

Michael Zimmerman, academic vice president and provost at The Evergreen State College, explained, “In an attempt to encourage our students to think about teachers who made a difference, I asked our incoming students to nominate via email the teacher they felt made the biggest difference in their education.”

In nominating  Mayer, Cummins noted that their math teacher motivated students to try their hardest, was always there for questions and works long hours just for the students.

“She makes you care about math and was the one who got me through my high school years. She is more than just a teacher, she is a mentor,” Cummins added.

Cummins said that Simpson engages her students in deep discussions and pushes students to go farther than what was thought possible.

“She has taught me how to express myself in written words, how to hold discussions, and how to respect others. She makes her students care, we all respect her for her knowledge and caring ability,” Cummins said.

Mayer and Simpson are two of 50 elementary, secondary-school or college teachers from ten states and two countries to receive the Excellence Award. Each teacher receives a certificate and a window decal.

Zimmerman, creator of the award, said, “We are reminded every day that teachers change lives. What we wanted to do is encourage our students to think about teachers who have interacted with them in a professional setting and gone beyond the norm.”