CAPE CHAMBER SEEKS EDUCATOR NOMINATIONS

Do you remember that special teacher who taught you how to multiply double numbers, who kept you from fighting a battle you were sure to lose, or helped you understand Shakespeare?

Can you spare five minutes today to thank them for their help?

This is the last day to nominate that special educator for an Educator of the Year award.

The Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce will accept nominations for the awards until 5 p.m. today at its office at 1267 N. Mount Auburn Road. The organization sponsors the program each year to honor full-time educators and administrators working in any public, private, parochial or business school within the Cape Girardeau city limits.

Education committee chairperson Nancy Bray said the awards bring together the business and education communities to recognize excellence in education. It allows people to thank their mentors and give them a very public pat on the back, she said.

Individuals or groups may nominate educators in one of four areas: elementary, secondary, administrative or post-secondary. Each winner receives a cash award of $500 and a crystal apple trophy.

The post-secondary award is being awarded for the first time to honor a previously-overlooked segment of education, said Bray.

"The new category called post-secondary vocational was created to cover business colleges, beauty schools, trade schools and the like," she said. "There are enough of those in this community that we felt there was a need for an award."

Linda Minner, special-projects director for the chamber, said only 45 nominations have been submitted so far, much fewer than the more than 100 submitted last year. Although applications have been available for several weeks, she believes many people haven't paid attention to the deadline.

"I think the problem is people don't realize the deadline's Friday," she said. "They're probably just waiting until the last minute to submit their entries. We just want to remind them to bring their nominations by the office before Friday afternoon."

Nominating an educator for the award is a simple process that requires less than five minutes, she said. All that is required on the nominating form is the nominee's name and address, their school, and the name of the nominator.