Congratulations to Top Nguyen, sixth grade teacher at Bridgeport Elementary School in Valencia, for being a recipient of the National Disney Education Award!…

Disney heroes have been capturing children’s hearts for generations, but the newest Disney heroes are reaching them in ways that Cinderella or Aladdin never could.  Chosen from more than 50,000 nominees nationwide, five local teachers received the 2005 Disney Teacher Award in celebration of their creativity, innovative teaching methods, and ability to inspire their students.
 
Each Disney Teacher Honoree receives $10,000 from The Walt Disney Company and a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. for a week of fun and celebration from July 23-28.  

Top Nguyen, a 6th-grade teacher at Bridgeport Elementary School in Valencia, is one of three Honorees being recognized for Intermediate Elementary education. Her creative teaching style stems from incorporating her personal background and history into her lessons. “My dad was a teacher back in Cambodia before the war started. Under the Khmer Rouge, you were killed if you were educated, so my father had to basically deny he was educated.  Education was the most important thing in my family,” Nguyen said.  “I take the information I want the students to learn and teach it by applying it through my life.  My favorite thing is when kids connect real life to what is going on in the classroom. At 11-years-old, it’s an important step for them.”

Established in 1989, the Disney Teacher Awards do not simply honor teachers, they also make a permanent investment in each teacher’s educational community.  In addition to the monetary awards for the five teachers and their schools, Disney will also fly the teachers and their principals to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. this October for a six-day professional development institute where they can refine their own innovative teaching approaches by sharing ideas and learn how to engage other teachers to build an effective collaborative teaching culture at their schools.  
 
Once they return, they will work with experts from the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston to design schoolwide plans for making teaching more effective.  Each teacher will take a leadership role, educating their fellow teachers in the creative techniques that have made them so successful at connecting with students.
 
During the week of celebratory events in Anaheim, five exceptional teachers will be chosen from the 45 Honorees.  Four Outstanding Teachers and one Disney Teacher of the Year will receive an additional $15,000 from Disney.