Making Great Things Happen: Sarah Brown Wessling is 2010 National Teacher of the Year

Google Sarah Brown Wessling’s name, and more than 52,000 results pop up on the popular search engine. That should keep the 2010 National Teacher of the Year’s students reading for a long time to come! Sarah, an alumna of Sigma Sigma-Iowa State and an English teacher at Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa, received this prestigious honor from President Barack Obama during a ceremony held in the White House Rose Garden on April 29. The president commended Sarah for her innovative teaching style, saying that her students do not simply write five-paragraph essays, they write songs, public service announcements, film story boards, even grant proposals for their own not-for-profit organizations.

In her comments posted on The White House Blog, Sarah wrote: “I couldn’t be more overwhelmed and humbled by this honor. I was joined by the most remarkable assemblages of teachers - the 2010 State Teachers of the Year - I have known. Each is gifted and passionate about the work he or she does; yet, together we are galvanized in our shared vision of what teaching and learning can be … In front of us all is the collective responsibility to create hope and opportunity for every child in this country.”

Click here to view the video of the National Teacher of the Year presentation at the White House.

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