Every year several teachers are nominated by the Deer Valley Education Foundation as Teacher of the Year.

This year 12 OHS staff members were nominated.

Jeff Baumgartner, Tiffany Ellis, Chandler Evans, Jody Evans, Chelsey Gleason, Cindy Knoll, Scott Lannen, Jason Lohmeier, Lorie Marshall, John Rodriguez, John Simmons, and Kim Stoffers were all nominated.

Teachers can be nominated by a fellow staff member or someone in administration, but it’s all anonymous, according to Marshall, an info tech teacher.

The process is long and involves several essays and videos of the nominee’s teaching.

It’s no wonder they don’t all choose to go through with it.

“I work hard and it’s nice that someone noticed that, but at the same time, people work harder,” Lohmeier said.

Lohmeier said he wants to at least try to continue the process, but is not sure if he will win.

Some teachers say they don’t need to win the award to know what kind of a teacher they are.

“I don’t need the recognition,” Lannen said, “I get it from the students that come back.”

“It humbles me as a teacher and a person that somebody thinks I am worthy of being nominated,” said Chandler Evans, sports medicine teacher, “[But] I feel that there are other people more deserving.”

Evans has been nominated before and has decided again not to continue with the long process.

Marshall said she plans to stick with it, even though there is a lot involved.

The winner is announced May 7.

Winning teachers receive a check and dinner for themselves and one other person at Arrowhead Country Club, aside from the simple recognition.

There are about 10 teachers from each school nominated, but then the number goes down to 25-30 finalists from throughout the district.

Then, in the end there are 10-16 Teachers of the Year and one Rookie of the Year, said Cindy Cordery, DVEF assistant.

OHS has had past winners including, Gail Kimzin in 2003, and Colleen Weeks in 2011 and Matt Boling in 2009 as Rookie of the Year

Assistant principal Nicole Duquette also won in 2010 when she was a teacher at Boulder Creek.