Burbank educator named National Teacher of the Year
Posted: 04/23/2012 07:48:56 AM PDT
Updated: 04/23/2012 08:27:28 AM PDT
FILE PHOTO: Luther Burbank Middle School teacher Rebecca Mieliwocki teaches a 7th-grade English class in 2011. She was named National Teacher of the Year. (Andy Holzman/Daily News Staff Photographer) ((ANDY HOLZMAN/LA DAILY NEWS))
Mieliwocki grew up in Napa, the daughter of two career teachers. She had studied to be a lawyer, but switched to teaching 14 years when her chosen profession proved unrewarding.
"Students learn best when they have the most enthusiastic, engaged teachers possible," Mieliwocki said in a statement. "I firmly believe that teachers must be held accountable for their students' success, from helping them meet personal or school-wide learning goals to achieving on district and state level assessments. Our students are our future, so we, their teachers, must do our best to inspire them and guide them to greatness." Mieliwocki was nominated for the award by Tom Torlakson, California's superintendent of public instruction. "Rebecca Mieliwocki is an inspiration to her students, to me, and to every California teacher," he said. "She brings enormous energy, enthusiasm and optimism to teaching -- a career that has never been more challenging, or more vital to our future. "She's the perfect choice for this tremendous honor, and I know she'll do an outstanding job of teaching the nation about the great things happening every day in California's public schools." The award is given annually by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Mieliwocki and officials of the Burbank Unified School District will appear with President Barack Obama during a Rose Garden ceremony
at the White House on Tuesday, when her honor will be formally announced.
