Bennett announces 2013 Indiana Teacher of the Year finalists

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE) - Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett announced the ten distinguished finalists for the 2013 Indiana Teacher of the Year program on Wednesday.

The Teacher of the Year program is open to all Indiana licensed classroom teachers who intend to stay active in the teaching field. Local Teacher of the Year winners who submit portfolios are then considered for the state level.

46 public and non-public educators applied for Indiana's 2013 Teacher of the Year.

The following ten teachers were selected as finalists:

Martha Constantine
Kindergarten
Early Learning Center at Brook Park
MSD of Lawrence Township

Lavon Dean-Null
Grade 7, Social Studies
Discovery Middle School
Penn-Harris Madison School Corporation

Amy Haywood
Physics/ Chemistry/ Dual Credit
Decatur Central High School
MSD of Decatur Township

Marianne Mazley-Allen
Grades 10-12, English
Terre Haute North Vigo High School
Vigo County School Corporation

Michael Novak
Grades 9-12, Engineering/Tech Ed
Greensburg Community High School
Greensburg Community Schools

Kelli Park
Grades 9-12, Art
Franklin Community High School
Franklin Community School Corporation

Joey Singleton
Grade 8, Mathematics
Plainfield Community Middle School
Plainfield Community School Corporation

Joshua Torres
Grades 6-12, Music
Center Grove High School
Center Grove Community School Corporation

Suzanne Whitton
Grades K-5, Visual Fine Arts
Delaware Trail Elementary School
Brownsburg Community School Corporation

Thomas Younts
Grades 9-12, Agriculture and Biology
Fishers High School
Hamilton Southeastern School Corporation

One of these ten teachers will be named the 2013 Teacher of the Year in September.