---

Chisago Lakes High School Biology teacher John Whitacre was “stunned, shocked and speechless” Tuesday when he was honored as the local Wal Mart Teacher of the Year.

Whitacre’s class was interrupted May 9 when Principal Dave Ertl, Associate Principal Sara Johnson and Forest Lake Wal Mart managers Duane Nelson and Lynn McCormick came to present the award.

Whitacre had no idea he had been nominated for the award, which honors teachers from across the state and nation during Teacher Appreciation Week.

As he congratulated Whitacre, Ertl said it was a great honor and testament to Whitacre’s dedication to teaching for him to receive this award. “He is an extremely diligent and insightful staff member,” Ertl said.

Whitacre received several nominations from students in Wal Mart’s annual teacher recognition program.

Along with a framed certificate, Whitacre received a $100 Wal Mart gift card and polo shirt. The school received a $1,000 stipend in Whitacre’s name. He will now advance to Wal Mart’s state Teacher of the Year contest, where the winner receives $10,000 for their school and competes against the top teachers in the country at the national contest.

Whitacre has taught at CLHS since 1993. He currently teaches sophomore Biology. He also serves on the building council and the North Central Accreditation Committee and is a former CLEM president.

As students in his morning class were treated to root beer floats, Nelson read a line from one of the nominations Whitacre received.

“If more teachers were like Mr. Whitacre, President Bush would be proud of America’s science and math aptitude,” they wrote.

Across the state, 34 other teachers will be honored this week as Teachers of the Year.

Wal Mart partners with Phi Delta Kappa International, a professional education association, in its Teacher of the Year program. Wal Mart will award $4.9 million through the program this year.

Whitacre was extremely honored, but after the excitement tamed down, the students were enjoying their floats and the visitors were packing up, the overhead projector came out and it was back to work. Another typical day for a dedicated – and sincerely humble – Teacher of the Year.

---