Emily Howell, a Louisiana Tech University alumna and English teacher at Ruston High School, has been named the 2012 Louisiana Teacher of the Year in the High School Division. Howell is the second consecutive Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year produced by Louisiana Tech’s College of Education.  Julie Bartlett Stephenson, an AP English teacher also at Ruston High School and Louisiana Tech alumna, was named the 2011 Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year. “For me, teaching is an immensely gratifying and exciting experience – never dull, never boring – and I am honored to have been chosen as the Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year,” said Howell.  “Because I work with competent, supportive, and innovative professionals who constantly spur me on to be a better teacher at Ruston High School, I believe that this recognition reflects the excellence of both our school and district as a whole.” Howell’s Louisiana Tech degrees include a bachelor’s in secondary education with an English concentration and a master’s in English. She excelled while a student at Louisiana Tech, completing both her undergraduate and graduate programs with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Howell was selected as Louisiana High School Teacher of the Year from a pool of distinguished and accomplished teachers from school districts throughout the state. “The entire process has been very rewarding as my administrators, co-teachers, and students have encouraged me along.  Their support has been immeasurably precious to me,” Howell said.  “Additionally, throughout the reflection process of the program, I have been afforded the opportunity to learn a myriad of lessons about how I teach and how I can be a better educator for my future students.” “The College of Education at Louisiana Tech is extremely proud to be a small part of the development of excellent teachers such as Emily Howell,” said Don Schillinger, associate dean for undergraduate studies in Tech’s College of Education.  “We highly value the relationships we have with our professional partners such as Ruston High School where our candidates participate in clinical residencies.” The College of Education has the largest student enrollment of any college at Louisiana Tech and has been accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) since 1954 – longer than any other institution in Louisiana. In addition to its degree programs, The College offers innovative educational and service programs such as the IDEA Place, the NASA Educator Resource Center, the Psychological Services Clinic, the Professional Development and Research Institute for the Blind, and A.E. Phillips Lab School.