Gulfport, Miss. - Six exceptional teachers are being honored by the Mississippi Power Foundation with the company’s prestigious Alan R. Barton Excellence in Teaching Award. The highly-coveted award has been presented to a select group of educators in the company’s 23-county service territory since 1990.

The award was named for the late Alan R. Barton, president of Mississippi Power from 1980 to 1989. It celebrates Barton’s dedication and contributions to education and is designed to recognize and honor excellence in the classroom. Each winner receives cash awards for their classroom and career development.

“The credentials of this year’s nominees are incredibly impressive. Making a decision on the six finalists was a very difficult task,” said Becky Montgomery, Community Affairs manager. “Teachers are charged with so much responsibility. This year’s winners consistently go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure their students are maximizing their potential and receiving a great education. They epitomize Mr. Barton’s idea of educational excellence.”

This year’s recipients, chosen from 67 nominees, are Elizabeth Kay Arnold, Ocean Springs Alternative Education Center, Lisa Cates, Vancleave Middle School, Monica Edwards, Greene County High School in Leakesville, Joyce Youngblood, Anniston Avenue Elementary in Gulfport, Suzie Welch, Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg and Heather Maness, Forest High School.

Arnold is a member of Mississippi Professional Educators and serves on the Council for Exceptional Students.

Cates, a science teacher, is a member of the National Geographic Society and served on the Science Textbook Adoption Committee in 2010.

Edwards, a career technical education teacher, is a member of the Mississippi Business Education Association and vice president and co-chair of the Mississippi Tobacco Coalition, Stone, Greene and Perry Chapter.

Youngblood is an executive board member and chair of the advisory board of the Mississippi Association for Gifted Children and is a member, executive board member and advisory board chair of Gulf Coast Teachers of Gifted.

Welch, a math teacher, was inducted into the Mississippi Hall of Master Teachers.

Maness was selected as the 2011 Outstanding Biology Teacher in Mississippi.

Since 1984, when Barton founded the Mississippi Power Education Foundation, newly merged with the Mississippi Power Foundation, the company has supported excellence in education throughout its service area by awarding more than $7.9 million in grants and awards to teachers, schools, school systems and educational projects.

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For further information: Jeff Shepard, 228.865.5543 or 1.800.821.6383 or email jshepard@southernco.com