The Georgia Teachers of the Year Association (GTOY) will sponsor a conference for all 2012 District Teachers of the Year on Thursday, October 6, at Central Georgia Technical College in Macon.

About 100 teachers are expected to attend the conference. Speakers will include Gov. Nathan Deal, State Superintendent of Schools John Barge, 2012 GTOY Jadun McCarthy of Northeast High School, and 2011 GTOY Pam Williams. There also will be presentations on “Race to the Top” and an opportunity for teachers to share their thoughts on the topic during a luncheon. The agenda will include a segment called “Promising Practices,” which has been one of the highlights of past conferences. During this segment, teachers will work in small groups of similar grade levels to share successful ideas utilized in their classrooms. Each teacher will leave the conference with new ideas to take back to his or her classroom.

“The Georgia Teacher of the Year Conference is a tremendous opportunity to recognize excellence in teaching,” McCarthy said. “The Teachers of the Year represent the best teachers throughout Georgia and having them gathered together, sharing their ideas and experiences, is a powerful and dynamic opportunity to positively impact the course of education in our state!”

GTOY is open to all former Georgia Teachers of the Year and finalists. Among the functions of the group are conferences to honor current district teachers of the year; sponsorship of one student, selected by the current GTOY, to receive the Judy Floyd Space Camp Award to attend space camp for a week in Huntsville, Alabama; and presentation of the Gale Samuels Award for selected teachers, which provides funds of up to $500 to conduct approved educational activities in their classrooms. All functions of the nonprofit organization are funded by businesses and corporations supporting education.

“Our organization is delighted to honor these outstanding teachers,” said GTOY President and former Bibb County educator Dr. Sarah Hawthorne. “We want this to be a day that they will remember as they meet the many challenges that face them in their classrooms. They have proven that they can overcome these challenges and make a difference in children’s lives for today and the future. Thus, we honor each of them, and all the other wonderful teachers not in attendance, who work so hard each day.”

Central Georgia Technical College is located at 3300 Macon Tech Drive. The conference will take place primarily in the Building H Auditorium. To view a complete conference schedule, click here.

For more information about the Georgia Teachers of the Year Association, visit www.gtoyassoc.com. For more information about the conference, media may contact President of the Georgia Teachers of the Year Association and former Bibb County educator Dr. Sarah Hawthorne at (478) 945-3915 prior to October 6 and (478) 960-1719 on October 6.