If you were lucky, over the course of your many years as a student, you crossed paths with some great teachers. Great teachers are the ones whose names and classrooms you remember vividly all these years later. In the early years they likely greeted you with a bright classroom and a warm and friendly smile. They taught you to play fair, wait in line and share. Those were the teachers with incredible patience. In the later years, if you were really lucky, maybe you had a teacher who exposed your love of literature, music, writing, history, math or science. Maybe, the most memorable teacher in your life was special to you because regardless of the subject that teacher made everything about school fun.

This year we asked you to nominate your favorite candidates for Let’s Dish! Teachers of the Year. You sent us over 500 nominations and told us about teachers who “make it look easy” and some who give “110% every day.” Then we read about a band teacher who took responsibility for repairing the school’s instruments over the summer so they would be ready for the school year. We also read about a teacher who turned their school green. We read one story after another about bright, inspiring, patient, loving, energetic, smart and devoted teachers.

In each of our trade areas, Loudoun, Fairfax, Alexandria, Columbia and Baltimore we have whittled down the nominations to a stellar top five. Online voting begins today and you can do your part here. Winners will receive a month of free meals from Let’s Dish! Please take a moment to read about wonderful teachers in your community, then cast your ballot for most outstanding.

We are proud and lucky to live and do business in the mid-Altantic where we have access to so many amazing teachers. Congratulations to all of the nominees and good luck to the finalists.