Barnes & Noble Melbourne Launches Seventh Annual “My Favorite Teacher Contest”

Once Again, Middle & High School Students Can Nominate Their Teachers for National, Regional and Local Awards.

National Winner and Their School to Split $10,000 in Cash Prizes and More!

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the nation’s largest retail bookseller and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, announced the start of the 2017 “Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest,” which for the past seven years has provided middle and high school students the opportunity to tell their communities how much they appreciate their teachers. 

Students can nominate their teacher by writing essays, poems or thank-you letters that share how their teacher has influenced their life and why they appreciate and admire them.  Participating schools collect the essays and submit them to their local Barnes & Noble store, including Barnes & Noble Melbourne, for consideration. Entries are judged on the compelling nature of the teacher’s inspiring qualities, the sincerity of the student’s appreciation and the quality of expression and writing. 

The local winning teacher will be recognized in spring 2017 at an event held at Barnes & Noble Melbourne, where they will receive a special award acknowledging their achievement as well as additional recognition and praise from their community. The student who wrote the winning essay or poem will receive a certificate of recognition and will also be honored at the ceremony. 

Teachers from grades 1 through 12 are eligible for nomination. Awards for winning teachers, schools and students include cash prizes, NOOK^® devices and more. The contest is broken down into local and regional winners, from which the “Barnes & Noble National Teacher of the Year” will be chosen.

Each regional winner will receive a $500 Barnes & Noble Gift Card and a NOOK by Samsung device.   From the pool of regional winners, Barnes & Noble will name one teacher the “Barnes & Noble National Teacher of the Year.” The winning teacher will receive $5,000 and the title of “Barnes & Noble National Teacher of the Year.” The national winner will be recognized at a special community celebration at their local Barnes & Noble store, and the winning teacher’s school will receive $5,000. The student who writes the national winning essay, poem or thank-you letter will win a $500 Barnes & Noble Gift Card and a NOOK.

Barnes & Noble has long supported teachers through Educator Appreciation Weeks, special discounts, personalized service, in-store events, bookfairs, store tours for classrooms, and, since 2011, through the My Favorite Teacher Contest. 

The Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest submission period begins January 4, 2017, and ends March 1, 2017. Students who want to participate must submit their essay or poem to Barnes & Noble Melbourne, by March 1. Only middle and high school students and active teachers employed in elementary, middle or high schools in the United States are eligible to win.  More details on the contest rules, and photos and the winning essay from the 2016 Contest, can be found at www.bn.com/myfavoriteteacher.