Schools
Hillsborough High Teacher Wins 'Teacher of the Year'
Hillsborough High School's Yolanda Whitehead Driskell won the top honor at a Thursday night ceremony.
The Hillsborough Education Foundation anointed Hillsborough High School math teacher Yolanda Whitehead Driskell as its Teacher of the Year on Thursday night.
Nominees were submitted from more than 200 Hillsborough County schools, which created a field of 681 contestants. Fifteen finalists were selected by their peers, and were honored along with the nominees at an award ceremony Thursday at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts.
Leena Hasbini of Wharton High School also won Instructional Support Employee of the Year, and Daisy Ramirez of Trapnell Elementary won the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year award.
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The winners were supposed to be kept a tightly guarded secret until their announcement at the ceremony. But as reported in this Tampa Bay Times article, the cat was let out of the bag when a picture of Driskell was flashed on stage before she was announced.
Driskell told the Times that at first she thought it was a mistake. But hearing her name announced confirmed it for her. "Wow. What an amazing night to be a teacher!" she told the audience.
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Driskell's prize package includes $1,000 cash, a trophy, tickets to Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay History Center and a Tampa Bay Rays game, a $1,500 scholarship to Nova University, a Xyboard tablet from Verizon, three free months of cable of Bright House Networks, $100 gift certificate to the Columbia Restaurant, and weekend stay at the the Embassy Suites - Downtown Convention Center.
Driskell will also get a free limo ride to work on Wednesday morning.