Four educators were recognized by the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Thursday for their efforts to share knowledge with students.

David Giles, Pam Dumey, Bonnie Matzat and Dr. Ann Puryear Scheer all were recognized at the Educators of the Year banquet held at the Drury Lodge. This was the sixth year the chamber's education committee has sponsored the program, which highlights excellence in education. The chamber's university relations committee added the higher education category to the competition in 1997.

Members of the Cape Girardeau All City Sixth Grade Choir provided musical entertainment at the event. The choir included members from each of the Cape Girardeau School District's six elementary schools and from St. Vincent de Paul School.

Videotaped salutes of each honoree were shown prior to their introductions. Honorees received a cash award of $500 each and a crystal apple of recognition. Each also will receive a complimentary copy of a videotaped salute.

"This is a celebration of the art of teaching," said Denise Stewart during the banquet. "Our award recipients share a love of learning and the ability to share that love of learning with their students."

Dumey, a music teacher at Clippard Elementary School, was the honoree from the elementary competition. The 17-year teaching veteran said she enjoys teaching students that learning can be an adventure.

"The arts allow children to explore and make discoveries," she said. "I love to lead my children to those discoveries."

Matzat teaches English at Louis J. Schultz School and was the secondary education honoree. She has more than 15 years teaching experience and works hard to single students out, much as she remembers her teacher doing in a one-room schoolhouse when she was a child.

"I want each child to feel very special and very valued and that takes time," said Matzat. "When a student finds within him or herself that special place in themselves, that is very special to me."

Giles, the administrative honoree, is assistant superintendent of elementary schools and curriculum for the Cape Girardeau School District and has more than 30 years of teaching experience. He said teachers enter their careers for inherent value rather than monetary value.

"Finding rewards in education is pretty tricky," said Giles. "In the end, the value of what we do is in the change in the people we work with."

Scheer was recognized by the university relations committee as the outstanding higher education honoree. She has worked at Southeast Missouri State University for 10 years in the department of educational administration and counseling. She teaches graduate-level classes and chairs or serves on a number of committees at the department, college and university levels.

She said the dedicated students she works with help her find fulfillment in her job. She said the best way she knows to share her love for the field of education is to prepare others to be educators.

"I want them to know what they're going to do and feel well-prepared when they get out in the field," said Scheer.

The chamber also honored outgoing school leaders Dr. Dan Tallent and Sister Mary Ann Fischer, SSND, during the banquet. Tallent is stepping down after three years as superintendent of Cape Girardeau schools. Fischer, principal at Notre Dame Regional High School, will retire after the school year ends.