Brieann Bryant, a graduating Hope College senior from Farwell, has received honorable mention in the 23rd annual Intern/Student Teacher of the Year competition coordinated by the Michigan Association of Teacher Educators (MATE).

A total of 59 participants from 13 institutions across the state competed on the basis of videos they submitted showing a lesson each had taught while student teaching.  MATE is honoring individual first- and second-place finishers, four finalists and 12 honorable mention candidates.

Bryant is majoring in special education with a focus in learning disabilities, and submitted a language arts lesson from her fall student-teaching placement in a fifth-grade, general-education classroom at Hamilton Elementary.

During the spring semester she has been student teaching in a ninth-12th grade resource room at West Ottawa High School-South Building.  Her career hope is to obtain either a K-5 general-education placement or a K-12 special-education placement.

Bryant is the daughter of Stephen and Louise Bryant of Farwell.  She is a 2005 graduate of Clare High School.

MATE is an organization for individuals actively involved in the professional growth and development of pre-service and in-service teachers.  MATE's membership includes representatives of public and private schools, colleges and universities, professional associations and learned societies, and governmental agencies.

The MATE Intern/Student of the year contest is designed to encourage individuals who are preparing to become teachers to demonstrate exemplary teaching skills.  This year's honorees will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 15, during MATE's Annual Recognition Reception, which will be held at Oakland University.

In addition to Hope, this year's participants were from Baker College (Owosso and Clinton Township), Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Madonna University, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan-Flint.