Obama honors ‘Teacher of the Year’ Jeff Charbonneau

President Barack Obama presents the National Teacher of the Year award to Jeff Charbonneau, a science teacher from Zillah, Washington, during the National Teacher of the Year presentation, on April 23, 2013 at the White House in Washington, D.C. UPI/Kevin Dietsch

WASHINGTON, April 23 (UPI) — President Barack Obama honored “Teacher of the Year” Jeff Charbonneau in a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House Tuesday.

Quoting Charbonneau, of Zillah, Wash., Obama said a teacher’s “greatest accomplishments are revealed each time a student realizes that he or she has an unlimited potential.”

He then explained Charbonneau’s return to his hometown and to Zillah High School 12 years ago, and Charbonneau’s involvement in the installation of an engineering program and improved science program at the school.

During the ceremony Obama also referred to his proposal to prepare an additional 100,000 math and science teachers in the next decade.