Education took center court at Sleep Train Arena before thousands of cheering and supportive fans as Sacramento County's Teachers of the Year 2015 were honored March 1 during halftime at the Sacramento Kings/Portland Trailblazers game.
The two reigning Sacramento County Teachers of the Year, Michelle Bebout (who teaches 9th–11th grade English at Casa Roble High School in San Juan U.S.D.), and Jennifer Walker (who teaches English and AP English at Clarksburg Middle School and Delta High School in River Delta U.S.D.), were among the district Teachers of the Year from Sacramento County honored at center court.
The teachers were recognized during a halftime ceremony witnessed by the crowd at Sleep Train Arena. Sacramento Kings Team President Chris Granger and Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon congratulated the teachers on-court. The Kings also presented commemorative, hardbound books of classic literature.
Prior to the ceremony, the Kings hosted honorees and their guests at a pre-game reception. Teachers heard from Tim Smith (Sacramento County Teacher of the Year 2014, one of the five California Teachers of the Year, and California's representative to the National Teacher of the Year 2014) spoke, praising and encouraging the 2015 district Teachers of the Year. The reception included lunch and a question-and-answer session with Kings Assistant Coach Ryan Bowen, who proudly revealed that he had two parents who were teachers.
The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is coordinated annually by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) to recognize the achievements of local educators and to raise awareness of the valuable role that teachers play in the lives of their students and in the community. This year, the program is presented by SCOE in partnership with the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats, Rabobank, and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.