Coral Springs Middle School educator is Broward Teacher of the Year

FORT LAUDERDALE - Coral Springs Middle School history teacher Nicole Marsala is Broward County's teacher of the year.

Marsala, who has taught in the district for eight years, was named the county's top public school teacher during a ceremony Thursday at the Broward County Convention Center.

She puts a premium on making history more than just words in a textbook. To teach about the trek of Lewis and Clark, she takes students to a local park for "Lewis and Clark Day." There, students act as explorers, writing in journals about their surroundings, collecting leaves, sketching trees and mapping the terrain. Lessons on the Civil War come from plays the students write about a Civil War battle. Those plays are acted out and videotaped, and the students use computer software to edit their productions.

As teacher of the year, Marsala gets $1,000, scholarships from Nova Southeastern University and Florida Atlantic University and an Apple laptop. All eight finalists get iPods, Florida Panthers hockey tickets, gift baskets and a tree planted in their honor at their respective schools.

Other finalists for teacher of the year are: Jennifer Narkier from Virginia Shuman Young Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale; Linda Jackson-Lockhart from Community Schools South; Lisa Ventry Milenkovic, from Eagle Point Elementary School in Weston; Andrew J. Kimmel from Forest Glen Middle School in Coral Springs; Davien P. Fernandes-Jones from Hallandale High School; Helena Simone Yeaman from College Academy at Broward Community College; and Maria Rivera from McArthur High School in Hollywood.