Hultberg named Wal-Mart’s 2008 Teacher of the Year

By Anne Hassler, assistant editor
The McPherson Sentinel
Thu Sep 25, 2008, 12:28 PM CDT

Jill Hultberg, fifth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, was named the 2008 Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year.

Hultberg was surprised by Wal-Mart store manager Michael Wilde, Superintendent Dr. Randy Watson and LES Principal Jana Koehn Tuesday morning.

Wilde presented Hultberg with a $100 gift card and a $1,000 check for the elementary school.

Since its inception in 1996, the Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year program has recognized nearly 11,000 teachers nationwide and contributed more than $6.6 million in educational grants to schools.

Hultberg, who has taught in USD 418 for 16 years, said she was shocked by the reward.

“I’m grateful that people took time out of their busy schedules to stop and fill out a ballot – for any teacher,” she said.

All fifth-grade students at LES received a blue Wal-Mart bag full of school supplies.