Wagonwheel Elementary’s Shirley George Takes Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Award

Cheyenne (April 25, 2003) — Second grade is the best grade there is! That’s Shirley George’s teaching mantra, and she lives and breathes it each day. “What other job would give me smiles and hugs from enthusiastic 7-year-olds ready to tackle the challenges of each day?” George asks. “What other career would stretch my creative abilities in many different directions, so that all my students learn in their own unique ways? Teaching does all this and more.”

George recently learned that teaching can bring other rewards as well. She is one of only 10 Wyoming teachers to receive a 2003 Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Award. Steven F. Leer, Arch Coal president and chief executive officer, made the announcement, accompanied by Governor Dave Freudenthal, Deputy Superintendent of Education Mary Kay Hill, and Kathryn Valido, a member of the executive committee of the Wyoming Education Association, during a ceremony at Cheyenne East High School.

“In this third year of our teacher recognition program in Wyoming, we continue to see teacher excellence across the state,” says Leer. “We believe outstanding teachers are the cornerstone of a good education. These recipients bring the magic of learning into their classrooms every day, and they have experience, expertise and a passion for learning themselves.”

George teaches second-grade students at Wagonwheel Elementary, Gillette, Wyo. “I believe that by teaching effectively, students learn successfully,” she notes. “A child’s education should prepare him for the 21st century, by being a problem-solver and a compassionate human being. He will need to work cooperatively with others and be able to express himself orally and in written form.

“I learn best by doing, so I have created a hands-on learning environment in my classroom,” she adds. “My pupils are able to explore and delve into diverse subject areas through the use of technology and local resources.”

George earned a bachelor’s degree at Moorhead State University, Moorhead, Minn., a master’s degree at the University of Wyoming, and she has since taken more than 40 graduate hours in areas of interest. George participates in a number of workshops and other courses that help her stay abreast with current methods of instruction. She is a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholar and a recipient of the 2002 International Who’s Who of Professional and Business Women; the 2000 Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; the 1999 International Who’s Who of Professional Management; the 1998 Campbell County School District Teacher of the Year; and a 1996 Campbell County School District Teacher of the Year finalist. George further supports her community by volunteering for civic, health, church and education activities.

In addition to recognition, award recipients receive a $2,500 unrestricted cash prize, a distinctive glass trophy and a framed certificate. The Arch Coal teacher recognition program features public nomination and peer selection. Arch Coal is supported by the Wyoming Department of Education, the Wyoming Education Association, Taco John’s and MiniMart in program promotion.

Arch Coal is the nation’s second largest coal producer and employs 600 people in Wyoming. Arch produces more than 65 million tons of clean-burning, low-sulfur coal annually at its Wyoming operations. The company’s Black Thunder operation in Campbell County is one of the nation’s largest and most efficient coal mines. Arch Coal is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACI) and maintains its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.