Seven public school teachers have been chosen as finalists for the 2013-14 Missouri Teacher of the Year award, state education officials announced today.

Nominations for the award were submitted by school districts throughout the state. The finalists are chosen, based on their written application, by a selection committee appointed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

This year's finalists are:

• James R. Anians, an English teacher at Hoech Middle School, Ritenour School District, St. Louis
• Heather Bailey, a first-grade teacher at Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Maplewood
• Christy Hefele, a science teacher at the Valley Park Middle School, Valley Park School District
• Jamie Manker, a social studies teacher at Rockwood Summit High School, Rockwood School District, Eureka
• Jason Navarro, a social studies teacher at Wheaton High School, Wheaton School District
• Amelia Ruzicka, a middle and high school math teacher at Bayless School District, St. Louis
• Jacqueline Wilson, a culinary arts teacher at the Lake Career and Technical School, Camdenton School District

The Missouri Teacher of the Year program recognizes the efforts of effective teachers throughout the state who provide a quality education to their students. Preparing, developing and supporting effective educators is a primary goal of the Department's Top 10 by 20 initiative, which calls for Missouri to rank among the top 10 performing states in education in the nation by the year 2020.

The selection committee will choose the Missouri Teacher of the Year following interviews with each finalist August 16. The winner and the finalists will be honored at a banquet October 21 in Jefferson City. The new Missouri Teacher of the Year will serve as the state’s nominee for the National Teacher of the Year competition.

Missouri's current Teacher of the Year is Cathy Cartier, an English teacher at Affton High School in St. Louis.

The Department conducts the Missouri Teacher of the Year program with financial support provided by the Boeing Company and the Monsanto Fund, both of St. Louis.