SEMO GRAD SELECTED FOR DISNEY SALUTE TO TEACHERS

A teacher pursuing a master's degree at Southeast Missouri State University is one of 60 teachers that will be honored in the "Disney Channel Salutes to the American Teacher" program.

Lorene Reid, an English as a second language teacher at Fanning Middle Community Education Center in St. Louis, began working toward her master's degree at Southeast under Project INTERACT.

The project provided English language training for migrant, immigrant and refugee children in Missouri. Funding for the project ended July 31.

Reid expects to receive her degree from Southeast in May.

A program featuring Reid in action with her classes will air on the Disney Channel early next year. She was selected as one of 36 finalists for a grand prize of $25,000 from Disney.

Reid and the other finalists received $2,500 and a trip to Washington to attend the American Teacher Awards Banquet this fall.

Reid is the first teacher in the St. Louis public schools to be selected for the Disney program.

Reid, who began her career as a Spanish teacher, was honored as the 1994 St. Louis Teacher of the Year.