The Disney Honorees push beyond the limitations of the traditional blackboard-and-textbook style of teaching. For example, Florida Honoree David Buncher and his science students invented a solar-powered, robotic boat that they use to gather water samples from local waterways; Ohio Honoree Jason Shields' math students launch eggs at him using a six-foot-tall slingshot to learn about projectile motion.

Some award-winning teachers change the face of their communities, like Pennsylvania Honoree Douglass Martin whose students have raised nearly $350,000 for local charities by producing community-wide telethons; or Ohio Honoree Bill Richey whose chemistry students teach hands-on science and children's literature integration at elementary schools. And New York Honoree Bill Reilly started "Global Coalition," an international project that connects more than 300 students in 20 schools representing every region of the world, from Siberia to the tropical rain forest, instilling cultural appreciation in his social studies students.

"Disney is dedicated to brightening the lives of children and we salute dedicated teachers for using creativity in their classrooms to inspire our children to achieve more than they ever thought possible," said Terry Wick, vice president of Disney Worldwide Outreach. "We hope communities across the country will join us in thanking all their great teachers this week during Teacher Appreciation Week."

The 44 Disney Teacher Honorees, and teaching teams, receive $10,000 from Disney Worldwide Outreach and a trip to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., for a week of fun and celebration from July 29-August 2. In addition, Disney awards $5,000 to each honoree's school.

Disney Teacher Honorees are selected by their peers—representatives of leading educational associations from across the United States and former Disney Teacher Honorees. Honorees come from every subject field and every level of teaching.

The Disney Teacher Awards do not simply honor one teacher, they also make an investment in that teacher's educational community. In addition to the monetary awards, Disney will also fly the Honorees and their principals to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., in 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 school. Once they return, the teachers and their principals will work with experts from the Center for Collaborative Education in Boston to design a schoolwide plan for making teaching more effective.

The Disney Teacher Awards selection committee consists of former Disney Teacher Honorees and representatives from several leading educational institutions, including the American Federation of Teachers, the National PTA, the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero, the National Education Association, the National Association of Black School Educators, the American Association of School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the Council for American Private Education, the Council for Exceptional Children, the Council of the Great City Schools, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the National Middle School Association.

During the week of celebratory events in Anaheim this summer, four Outstanding Teachers will be named, in addition to the Disney Teacher of the Year. Each will receive an additional $15,000 from Disney.

Following is a list of the 2006 Disney Teacher Awards Honorees:

Elementary

Early Childhood

• Mrs. Zarina Ahmad, Oakland, CA; Kindergarten
• Mrs. Connie Heitzmann, Bay Saint Louis, MS: Kindergarten
• Mr. Robert Whiteman, Guilderland, NY; 1st Grade/Gifted & Talented Enrichment K-5th Grade

• Mrs. Anne Ferlito, Euclid, OH; 2nd Grade
• Mrs. Lynn Astarita Gatto, Rochester, NY; 2nd Grade
• Mrs. Jennifer Wilson, Denver, CO; 3rd Grade

• Mrs. Susan Bradburn, Marion, NC; 3rd Grade
• Mrs. Kim Labinger, Glendale, CA; 4th Grade
• Mrs. Heather Renz, Redmond, OR; 4th Grade

Humanities

• Miss Carmen Munnelly, San Diego, CA; 8th Grade US History & Geography
• Mr. Bill Reilly, Delmar, NY; 6th Grade Social Studies
• Mrs. Rebekah Mae Stathakis, Oak Brook, IL; 6th – 8th Grades, Spanish 1,2 3

• Mr. St. Claire Marlin Adriaan, San Diego, CA
• Ms. Felicity Amond, Prairieville, LA
• Mr. Rafael Crespo, Miami Lakes, FL

• Ms. Angela Chapman, Lakeland, FL; 7th Grade Science – Earth & Space
• Mrs. Melinda Kay Fitzgerald, Chapel Hill, NC; 8th Grade Science
• Mrs. Beverly Mc David, Sandy Hook, KY; 7th Grade Science

• Mrs. Lynn Kohlhagen and Mrs. Janice Wendling, Morris, IL; 6th-8th Grade Language Arts, Literature, Social Studies & Math
• Mrs. Amanda Mayeaux, Miss Kathryn Pilcher and Mrs. Monique Wild, Geismar, LA; 8th Grade Math, Science, Integrative Services (Inclusion), Language Arts and History

Humanities

• Ms. Kelley Brown, Easthampton, MA; Grades 9-12, History and Political Science
• Mrs. Amy Dunaway-Haney, Dayton, OH; 9th – 12th Grade Spanish 2, 3, 4
• Mr. Christopher Vicari, Yonkers, NY; 11th Grade International Baccalaureate English

• Mr. Michael Mack, Albuquerque, NM; 9th – 12th Grade Math
• Mrs. Brenda Moncriffe, Baton Rouge, LA; 10th Grade Geometry; 9th-10th Grade Algebra I
• Mr. Jason Shields, Mason, OH; Intro. To Algebra, Algebra I, Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus

• Dr. David Buncher, Miami, FL; AP Chemistry, Honors Physics, Honors Chemistry, Honors Astronomy
• Mr. Bill Richey, Xenia, OH; General Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, AP Chemistry
• Dr. Patrick Welsh, Clemson, SC; AP Physics, College Prep. Physics, Tech. Prep. Physics

Applied Fields

• Mr. Douglas Dillion, Terre Haute, IN; 6th – 8th Grade Technology
• Mr. Jacob Larison, Galena, KS; 9th -12th Grade Agricultural Education
• Mr. Douglas Martin, Pittsburgh, PA; 9th – 12th Grade Television Production

• Ms. Jodi Crawford, Cambridge, MA; Pre-Kindergarten Multi-Arts
• Ms. Carolyn Mc Knight, Los Angeles, CA; High School Theater
• Miss Allison Nega, Fort Pierce, FL; High School Drama, Eurhythmics

• Ms. Deanna Pendergast, Rockville, MD; Middle School students in the hospital with emotional disorders
• Ms. Megan Sexton, Cincinnati, OH; 5-21 year old students with severe to profound mental retardation
• Mrs. Susan Superson, E. Longmeadow, MA; Middle School Gifted/Talented Education

• Miss Kem Dudney, Hallsboro, NC; 7th – 8th Grade Physical Education
• Ms. Meg Greiner, Independence, OR; Kindergarten – 4th Grade Physical Education
• Mr. Jerry Styrsky, South Holland, IL; 9th – 12th Grade Physical Education