FSN Bay Area & Major League Baseball Announce Finalists for ALL-STAR TEACHER Award

FSN Bay
Area and Major League Baseball today announced the five finalists for the
ALL-STAR TEACHER award. The finalists were selected for their outstanding
commitment to their students and the goal of helping students stay in school.

With the
City of

San Francisco
set to host the 78th Major League Baseball All-Star Game in July, FSN Bay Area
developed a program to celebrate its local “All-Star” teachers. The ALL-STAR
TEACHER award was created to recognize middle and high school teachers in
Northern California who go above and beyond to inspire
their students and community. The winning ALL-STAR TEACHER will be awarded with
$10,000 for his/her school.

The five
finalists are Jim Coulson of
Rancho
Milpitas
Middle School
(
Milpitas,
CA);
Mia Flores of
Hillview
Junior High School (
Pittsburg,

CA); Master Chief Pete Flores III of
Soledad
High School
(
Soledad,
CA); Michael
Meneses of
Presidio
Middle School (
San Francisco,

CA); and Janet Willford of San Ramon Valley
High School (

Danville,
CA). Visit www.fsnbayarea.com for additional
background on each teacher.

Members of
the public can help select the winner from Friday, May 18 through Wednesday,
July 4 by either voting on-line at www.fsnbayarea.com or by filling out an
official ballot form in the San Francisco Chronicle (May 18, 20; June 10
editions). Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson,
will announce the winning teacher live on stage on Saturday, July 7 at the 2007
DHL All-Star FanFest at the

Moscone

West
Convention
Center. The 2007 ALL-STAR TEACHER will be
presented with a check for $10,000 for his/her school.

An
esteemed panel of community leaders selected the finalists based on four
categories: Overall Commitment; Excellence in Teaching; Rapport with Students;
and Level of Distinction. The selection committee consists of Senator Don
Perata, President Pro Tempore, California State Senate, and former Alameda
County teacher; Rob Connelly, President and Chief Executive Officer, Boys and
Girls Clubs of San Francisco; Derek Knell, Graphic Arts Manager, Strahm
Communications, and Novato Unified School District Trustee; and Doug Bartlett,
Senior Marketing Director, BART, and former Bay Area teacher.

The five
finalists’ biographies along with message boards, photo galleries and videos
will be featured online at www.fsnbayarea.com starting Friday, May 18.
Vignettes featuring each of the five finalists will air during the San
Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics pregame shows from May 18 – July 4.

Last February,
FSN Bay Area sent ALL-STAR TEACHER nomination forms to over 200
Northern California local and middle high schools.
Nomination forms were received from parents, principals, students and other
teachers throughout the
Central
Coast and
Northern California
region.

“FSN Bay
Area and our partners for the ALL-STAR TEACHER Award would like to extend our
sincere congratulations to all of the finalists,” said Griggs. “Each teacher
has gone above and beyond their call of duty to make a difference within their
schools and communities. Their teachings and life lessons will certainly leave
a life-long impression with their young students. We salute their efforts and
wish them all the best.”

“Major
League Baseball joins our partners in congratulating the five finalists for the
award,” said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President, Business, Major League
Baseball. “These men and women exemplify the commitment, loyalty and service of
teachers everywhere who help shape students’ lives. We are looking forward to
celebrating all five finalists and announcing the winner on Saturday, July 7 at
DHL All-Star FanFest.”

The
ALL-STAR TEACHER award is sponsored by FSN Bay Area, Major League Baseball,
KNBR 680 AM, and the San Francisco Chronicle.

The ALL
STAR TEACHER award is the newest component of FSN Bay Area’s annual STAY IN
SCHOOL CHALLENGE. The STAY IN SCHOOL CHALLENGE is a community outreach program
that rewards middle and high school students for perfect attendance over a
ten-week period. Students in grades 6-12 in the Northern California/Northern
Nevada region who maintain perfect attendance (no unexcused absences) can win
2007 DHL All-Star FanFest tickets and other prizes. Since 1996, the FSN Bay
Area STAY IN SCHOOL CHALLENGE has given over 215,000 Oakland Athletics and San
Francisco Giants tickets to students.