WORTHINGTON -- Prairie Elementary music teacher Jeanette Jenson was named the Education Minnesota Worthington 2009 Teacher of the Year in a ceremony Monday at Worthington High School.
The Crystal, N.D. native was introduced by Worthington Middle School music teacher Cindy Anderson, who quipped that Prairie Elementary was five times larger than Jenson's hometown.
Jenson attended North Dakota State University in Fargo and Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, before heading to Worthington, where she has taught for 12 years. She currently teaches 13 different general music classes and has given more than 700 students their start on band instruments.
"As a colleague with Jeanette, I marvel at the music she makes with her beginning band students," Anderson said. "She directs with a strong hand and a warm heart. I believe she has both the love and respect of her students."
Jenson gave a short speech thanking her colleagues and family for their support.
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"The opportunities in District 518 are endless," she said, before recalling some lighter moments of her teaching experience.
"I won't forget a fifth grade band student who thanked me for teaching him everything I knew," she laughed, "Or the student who wanted to learn the saxahorn."
Other nominees were Prairie Elementary third grade teacher Mary Jo Peterson, who has had a 33-year career in education and second grade teacher Sheryl Hoekstra, who has taught in Worthington for 27 years. Both women also have a background in special education.
Correction: Jeanette Jenson's name was incorrectly spelled in the first version of this article. It has been corrected.
