Go to AcadianaMoms.com (more galleries) to see photos of the nominees from this year's Lafayette Education Foundation pin patrol, finalist patrol and Teacher Awards.

List of nominees and finalists

LEF finals are "Icing on the cake"
Outstanding Lafayette educators selected for Feb. 29 event.
                                                                    Amanda Bedgood
                                                                                   abedgood@theadvertiser.com

It was a sweet morning Thursday for 16 Lafayette educators who learned they made the finals for the LEF Teacher Awards.

"I was elated," finalist Helen Wofford said. "I can't describe the feeling." The St. Cecilia Elementary School librarian is among 16 educators in four categories eligible for a teacher award Feb. 29 during the 10th annual LEF Teacher Awards.  More than 350 teachers were nominated through letters submitted to the Lafayette Education Foundation this year.

The first big group of nominees were notified last week by a group of volunteers and LEF employees during the annual Pin Patrol in which teachers are surprised in their classrooms.
Kathy Roy, an Acadiana High School biology teacher nominated in the high school category, said she was "ecstatic" to hear the news Thursday.  "I'm honored. I'm grateful to be in this position and to be teaching here at Acadiana," she said. "I love the kids; this is icing on the cake."

Roy, Wofford and kindergarten teacher Brenda Prejean all said they love what they do and that having it noticed by others is just lagniappe.

"When someone takes notice, it's a special thing," Prejean, a teacher at Woodvale said. "If no one ever noticed that would be OK. It's what I feel God has called me to do. I love children, and I love knowing I've made an impact and an imprint on society and on the children, the leaders of tomorrow."

Prejean has certainly made an impression on campus. The school's principal says people are begging to get into her class.

Those on the receiving end of the announcement weren't the only ones enjoying themselves Thursday morning. Volunteers like Judy Cox - a former Acadiana principal and School Board member - took great joy in showing teachers that what they do in the classroom matters.
"It's so exciting and for these people that have worked so hard to be recognized, it just does my heart good," she said.

She said in a world full of often negative attention, rewarding teachers is a positive welcome especially when they are teachers she worked with as an administrator or taught as students. Cox said the entire school community - from students and principals to fellow teachers - can take pride in the acknowledgment of educators.  "It's exciting for everybody," she said.