Jennifer Clark, a primary teacher at Cumberland Trace Elementary School, is among 24 Kentucky teachers selected as recipients of the 2009 Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards. These teachers will now compete for the 2009 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award, to be announced in October. Clark, the only Teacher Achievement Award winner from the Bowling Green/Warren County area, is one of eight elementary teachers to receive this honor. The recipients also include eight middle school and eight high school teachers.

Clark, in her 11th year as a teacher at Cumberland Trace and 21st year in education, has been recognized before for her teaching excellence. She is a past winner of the Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts Teacher of the Year Award, and she has also earned the Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Award. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Western Kentucky University.

Clark and the other 23 Teacher Achievement Award winners will be honored at a ceremony in Frankfort October 22 in the State Capitol Building. At that time, the Kentucky Elementary, Middle and High School Teachers of the Year will be announced. From that group of three finalists, the Kentucky Teacher of the Year will be named and will represent the state in the National Teacher of the Year competition. Clark's Cumberland Trace colleague, kindergarten teacher Patrice McCrary, is a past Kentucky Teacher of the Year.

Judging for the Teacher Achievement Awards was conducted in August by a blue-ribbon panel of veteran educators, many of whom have more than 30 years of teaching experience. Applications included information on the nominees’ teaching philosophies, their teaching experiences and involvement in their respective communities, as well as letters of recommendation from peers, students, parents, administrators and others.

Ashland has recognized outstanding Kentucky teachers with its Teacher Achievement Awards since 1988. More than $550,000 has been awarded to nearly 350 teachers of grades K to 12.