By Timothy Wilson

Washington Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, May 12, 2010; B05
Liz Gipson got an A in English her first semester at Barnard College. But she couldn't take all the credit and
wrote a letter to thank the person who taught her the most about writing: Allison Finn, an AP English teacher
at Blake High School in Montgomery County.
For her efforts in the classroom, Finn was among 21 teachers who were honored Tuesday night at the Agnes
Meyer Outstanding Teacher Awards.
More than 300 friends, family members, teachers, principals and school officials attended the 27th annual
event at The Washington Post's main building in Northwest Washington.
"It's the greatest night of the year for us because of the people involved," said Donald E. Graham, chairman
of The Washington Post Co. "We are thrilled to honor you all."
Since 1983, the awards have recognized teachers who show exceptional initiative, creativity and
professionalism.
Gipson said she "slid by, unchallenged, bored" in English before taking Finn's class. With Finn as the teacher,
she and other students made dramatic improvements, she said.
"We started to think, to write, to talk like the almost-adults we were, rather than the too-old children we had
been," Gipson said in a letter to Finn. "With you leading us, the transition came easy."
Awards were given to teachers from 19 area public school systems, a private school and a D.C. charter
school.
Other winners:
Rhonda L. Alley, Douglass School, Loudoun County; Derek Anderson, Huntingtown High School, Calvert
County; Erica Banks, Cardozo Senior High School, D.C. public schools; Maryel Barry, Henderson Middle
School, Falls Church; Kenneth Bernstein, Roosevelt High School, Prince George's County; J oan Carol
Bryant, Brumfield Elementary, Fauquier County; Cheryl Ann Cox, Marley Elementary, Anne Arundel
County; Marta J anik Craighill, Cougar Elementary, Manassas Park; and Susan Demeria, Mayfield
Intermediate School, Manassas.
Also, Margarita G. Doughty, Linganore High School, Frederick County; Gregory Feducia, Mountain View
High School, Stafford County; Colette Fraley, Wakefield High School, Arlington County; Nate Franz, E.L.
Haynes Public Charter School, the District; Katherine M. Frederick, Leonardtown Middle School, St. Mary's
County; M. Tate Kenneally, Battlefield High School, Prince William County; Brigitte Lavey, Langley High
School, Fairfax County; Lynn Levinson, Maret School, private, the District; J ill J owdy Morrow, Higdon
Elementary, Charles County; Linda Beck Pieplow, Clarksville Middle School, Howard County; and J ennifer
A. Willment, Tucker Elementary, Alexandria.
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