Jan Selvitelle

Ms. Selvitelle has 20 years of teaching experience, eight of which have been at Scott Middle School at Fort Knox, Ky., where she teaches English. Ms. Selvitelle has also taught English to Kentucky middle and high school students in Elizabethtown and Hodgenville. She received her Bachelor's and Master's of Arts degrees from Western Kentucky University.

"Outstanding teachers must embrace and model the characteristics of a good leader," says Ms. Selvitelle, about her philosophy of teaching. "A teacher must be a good leader - of students, parents, and colleagues - one who inspires loyalty and thinks carefully before making decisions. Having made a decision, however, a good teacher has the courage to stick to a decision that may be unpopular and, in response to new information, has the courage to reconsider or change directions if necessary."