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Western Illinois University alumna Angela Barker Wilson—pictured here with U.S. President Barack Obama—was recently named the 2012 Teacher of the Year for the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity Schools (DoDEA) and was one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year ceremony held at the White House, Washington, D.C., last April.
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WIU Alumna Named Teacher of the Year for U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity Schools

August 27, 2012

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MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University alumna Angela Barker Wilson was recently named the 2012 Teacher of the Year for the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity Schools (DoDEA) and was one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year ceremony held at the White House, Washington, D.C., last April.*

Wilson, who earned her bachelor's degree from Western in elementary education in 1997, has been teaching for 11 years in schools in Illinois and Utah and DoDEA schools in South Korea, Turkey and Italy. She currently serves as a seventh-grade language arts teacher at Vicenza Middle School affiliated with Camp Ederle Army Base, near Venice, Italy.

"There aren't words to describe what this honor means to me," Wilson said. "There are millions of teachers in America, giving their hearts and souls to students every day. I am here because of amazing professors, mentors and colleagues. I am humbled to represent them. Representing DoDEA is something extra special and this award is shared with my students—the children of America's heroes."

During her time at Western, Wilson was recognized for her academic achievement as the elementary education department scholar in 1997. She completed her master's degree in education at Southern Utah University in 2010, and she is currently enrolled in an online doctoral degree program at Walden University.

Wilson is the daughter of Bruce Barker, who served as WIU's instructional technology department chair (now the instructional design and technology department) from 1992-96. Barker also served as the assistant dean in the WIU College of Education and Human Services from 1996-98. (Barker now teaches at Southern Utah University.) Wilson's husband, Chance, is also a WIU graduate.

According to the DoDEA website, the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools consists of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools located overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools located in the U.S. and its territories and possessions. DoDEA provides education to eligible DoD military and civilian dependents from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. DoDEA also provides support and resources to local education activities throughout the U.S. that serve children of military families.

According to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the organizations represented on the 2012 National Selection Committee for the National Teacher of the Year Award include: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, Association for Childhood Education International, ASCD, Association of Teacher Educators, National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Congress of Parents and Teachers, National Education Association, National Middle Schools Association, National School Boards Association and National School Public Relations Association.

For more information, contact Dana Moon in the College of Education and Human Services at (309) 298-1690 or via email at DM-Moon@wiu.edu.

* Rebecca Mieliwocki, from Burbank, California, was named the 2012 National Teacher of the Year. The transcript of "Remarks by the President at Presentation of the National Teacher of the Year Award" is available at www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/24/remarks-president-presentation-national-teacher-year-award

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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