CRESTVIEW — It was a breakfast Angie Fortune and Beth Griffith won’t soon forget.
At Thursday morning’s Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, the Crestview High School and Baker School math teachers were announced the 2016 recipients of the Paul Hsu Family Foundation’s Teaching Excellence Awards in Math and Science.
“It was surreal,” Fortune said of suddenly realizing she was one of recipients. “It takes awhile to sink in. I was in excellent company. I know it was a tough decision for the committee to make.”
“My heart was beating hard,” Griffith said.
Fortune and Griffith each received the top $5,000 award, created by Hsu, an Okaloosa County entrepreneur and philanthropist, to encourage quality instruction in key science, technology, engineering and math—or STEM—disciplines at the high school level.
Laurel Hill School math teacher Debra Adams, Baker science teacher Stacy Burlison, Crestview High math teacher Darron Dubose, and Crestview High science teacher Tammy McKenzie each won a $500 merit award presented by BBVA Compass Bank and Emerald Coast Aviation.
Dennis Mitchell, the chairman of the chamber of commerce committee tasked with selecting the award recipients, praised the quality of the 13 finalists and said winnowing the winners from their ranks was a difficult decision.
He praised Hsu for recognizing North Okaloosa County STEM educators’ teaching skills and emphasized the importance of preparing future technology professionals.
“This is a unique program in the state,” Mitchell said. “No other school district has anything like this. $13,000 was given away to local teachers. We’re pretty proud.”
“Teachers are probably the most important members of our community because they are shaping the future of our county,” Hsu said.
“He’s the epitome of the American dream,” Griffith said. “He’s an inspiration we can share with our students. Dr. Hsu proves if you work hard, you can live the American dream.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker, Crestview High math teachers receive major cash prizes (PHOTOS, VIDEO)