A Baltimore City teacher was named one of the four finalists for National Teacher of the Year.
Athanasia Kryiakakos, an art teacher at Baltimore City's Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School, was named Maryland's Teacher of the Year in October. Sia, as she's known to her colleagues, will compete for the national honor along with teachers from California, Massachusetts and Wisconsin.
"We congratulate Sia on this terrific honor for her and for the State of Maryland," said Governor Larry Hogan. "Great teachers and great schools make an enormous difference in the lives of our children and in the future of this State."
RELATED: Art teacher named Baltimore City Schools' Teacher of the Year
Dr. Karen Salmon, state superintendent of schools, said that Sia does everything in her power to have her students succeed.
"Sia is always on the lookout for innovative ideas to engage and inspire her students," Dr. Salmon said. "One of her former students wrote that Sia opened her eyes and gave her hope in the future. There is no better description of great teaching."
Sia has been a Baltimore City teacher since 2011, and at Mergenthaler since 2014. She becomes the fifth Maryland teacher named a finalist since 2006, three have been named National Teacher of the Year.
The four Teacher of the Year finalists will be interviewed by a select panel in March. The announcement of the winner will be in may in a White House ceremony attended by all State Teachers of the Year.
Download the ABC2 News app for the iPhone, Kindle and Android
