Our May 12 program honoring the contributions by our local K-12 educators began by recognizing Auburn High School as being among the best in the nation as determined by Newsweek: No. 211 out of 17,468 schools. This ranking has much to do with the families, the quality of the students, and the quality of the schools—especially the teachers. The club recognized two of our best teachers: Elementary Teacher of the Year Sandi Williams of Ogletree Elementary, and Secondary Teacher of the Year Davis Thompson of Auburn High.

Sandi Williams was selected because of her exemplary success in working with the average and brilliant students and the special and troubled students simultaneously in her "immersion" classrooms. She also works with the Special Olympics and university equestrian teams. She was described by her students as, "the best fourth grade teacher any child could hope to have."

Davis Thompson teaches IB and AP English to the gifted students; he also tutors those who did not pass the graduation exam. He initiated and oversees the high school literary magazine, "The Sheet". His
philosophy: know your material, love your students and work hard to bring the world of knowledge and the world of the students together
Betty Burgess wrote that "he is the teacher that every parent would wish for his children and the teacher every student hopes to have at least once in a lifetime."

Pictured from left to right are Club President Chris Rodger; Secondary Teacher of the Year Davis Thompson from Auburn High School; Elementary Teacher of the Year Sandi Williams from Ogletree Elementary School; and Teacher of the Year committee member Bill Gwin.