Arch Coal Achievement Awards Given to Five Outstanding Utah Teachers

PRICE, Utah, May 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The second annual Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards were presented here today to five outstanding classroom teachers at a ceremony at Castle Heights Elementary.

Announcement of the awards was made at a ceremony at Castle Heights Elementary School by Arch Coal, Inc. Senior Vice President of Operations Paul Lang. He was joined by President of Arch Western Bituminous Group Gene DiClaudio, General Manager Wess Sorenson of Skyline mine, General Manager Ken May of Sufco mine and General Manager Erwin Sass of Dugout Canyon mine. Also at the ceremony were Ms. Dixie Allen, state school board member, and Jim Porter, High Desert UniServ director for the Utah Education Association.

The five recipients are: Connie M. Hamilton Castle Heights Elementary School Price Diane Hill Gunnison Valley Middle School Gunnison Gail Jewell Wellington Elementary School Wellington Renae Seegmiller North Sevier High School Salina J. Edward Staker North Sanpete High School Mt. Pleasant

"These are five of the very best teachers in this region," said Lang. "They are outstanding professionals who teach, counsel and befriend their students. At Arch Coal we believe teachers change lives. Today's award recipients are perfect examples of the dedicated educators who change lives every day in their classrooms."

This is the second year the Arch Coal Foundation has sponsored the teacher recognition program in the four Utah counties of Carbon, Emery, Sanpete and Sevier.

"Arch Coal employees are proud to recognize these teachers who make a difference with our children and in our communities," DiClaudio said. "We are pleased to support teaching excellence and the important contributions teachers make."

"It is always a pleasure to validate great teachers," said Allen. "My favorite saying for teachers has always been 'Kids don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.' The same holds true for teachers. It is indeed wonderful that a company, such as Arch Coal, invests in letting teachers know how much we all care."

"I believe early education reformer Horace Mann commented best, 'If ever there was a cause, if ever there can be a cause, worthy to be upheld by all the toil or sacrifice that the human heart can endure, it is the cause of education,'" said Porter. "I believe that the recipients are models for their colleagues, but even more than that I feel they model a way of life that their students can emulate and find success of their own."

The awards program is underwritten by the Arch Coal Foundation. In addition to recognition, award recipients receive a $2,500, unrestricted cash prize, a distinctive trophy and a classroom plaque. The Arch Coal teacher recognition program is unique because it asks the public to nominate excellent classroom teachers and then has a panel of the teachers' peers serve as judges.

"The judging was incredibly close again this year," DiClaudio said. "It is apparent that this region of Utah has many excellent teachers who deserve recognition, and we're so pleased Arch Coal and its Canyon Fuel operations have this opportunity to give local teachers our sincere praise and gratitude."

Supporters of the program include the Office of Governor Jon Huntsman, Utah State Office of Education, Utah Education Association, Utah School Superintendents Association, Carbon County School District, Emery County School District, Sevier County School District, North Sanpete School District, South Sanpete School District, Far West Bank, Market Express, radio stations KMTI, KLGL, KMGR, KSVC, KCYQ, KOAL, KARB, KRPX, and both TacoTime and Bookcliff Sales in Price.

Arch Coal's Canyon Fuel Company is Utah's largest coal producer and a large, state employer with a workforce of approximately 800. Arch Coal is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and maintains its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.