Bradford Engel, a social studies teacher at Kent Island High School in Queen Anne’s County, has been named the 2005 Maryland Teacher of the Year.

Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick made the surprise announcement Friday evening at a gala that included Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, members of the State Board of Education and the Maryland General Assembly, and hundreds of educators, parents, and community leaders.

Engel has been teaching at Kent Island High School for the past 15 years.  He is currently the Social Studies Department Chair and Leadership Development Coordinator at the school, serving on the School Improvement Team and chairing the Middle States Steering Committee. 

As coordinator of the school-wide Mentor Advisory Program, Engel supervises 100 student leaders who facilitate lessons in monthly advisory sessions.  These are designed to increase student achievement and success.  In 2003, he wrote and published “The Four Challenges of Leadership,” approved for use as the textbook in this unique high school leadership program.

Engel is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and has done graduate work at Shenandoah University.

“Choosing Maryland’s Teacher of the Year is never an easy task, and this year’s nominees were some of the best ever,” Dr. Grasmick said.  “Bradford Engel’s longstanding commitment to develop student leadership helped him stand out.  His tireless work with students outside the confines of the regular classroom make him well worthy of our celebration.”

Engel attributes much of his success to the respect he gives his students, as well as his belief in their potential.

“To have a positive impact on the lives of students every day and to work to bring dignity to their lives has been my most rewarding opportunity in teaching,” he said.  “It is exciting to guide students into an expanded awareness of life’s possibilities and to help them understand that each one of them adds a great value to the world.”

Engel will now go on to the National Teacher of the Year competition. The National Teacher of the Year will be announced next April.

As the Maryland Teacher of the Year, Engel will receive a Chevrolet Equinox, valued at $25,000, donated by the Maryland New Car and Truck Dealers Association.  He will also receive a “Smart Board” donated by the SMARTer Kids Foundation, an Apple computer, a one-week trip to Space Camp, $5,000 cash donated by sponsors and the Maryland State Department of Education, and numerous other gifts.  His school will receive an $8,000 interactive White Board donated by Peripheral Vision.

Major corporate sponsors for the Maryland Teacher of the Year include the Maryland New Car and Truck Dealers Association, McDonald’s Family of Greater Baltimore, Bank of America, Comcast, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Peripheral Vision LLC, The Sallie Mae Fund, and Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. Additional sponsors include the Baltimore Sun, M&T Bank, Maryland State Teachers Association, State Farm, Verizon-Maryland, VPC, Inc., and Sun Trust Bank.

NOTE:  The Teacher of the Year will be involved in a forum on Saturday,

October 9, from 8 – 11 a.m. at the Holiday Inn West Belmont, 1800 Belmont Avenue in Baltimore (next to Martin’s West), 410-265-1400.  For more information, contact Darla Strouse at 410-302-0263.