Monday, May 2, 2011

Barnes & Noble Announces National "Teacher of the Year" Winner in Its First-Ever "My Favorite Teacher Contest"

Barnes & Noble Announces National "Teacher of the Year" Winner in Its First-Ever "My Favorite Teacher Contest"

Debbie Davis From Christian Heritage School in Riverdale, Utah Named Winner

New York, NY - May 2, 2011 - Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world's largest bookseller, today announced that Debbie Davis from Christian Heritage School in Riverdale, Utah, has been named the national winner and "Teacher of the Year" in the "Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest." Davis was chosen from more than 18,250 entries at Barnes & Noble stores nationwide. Davis was nominated by Emily Burns.

Students were invited to nominate their favorite teacher by writing essays, poems or thank you letters that share how their teacher has influenced their life and why they appreciate and admire their teacher. Entries were accepted at Barnes & Noble stores and online at Tikatok.com. Entries were judged on the compelling nature of the teacher's qualities, the sincerity of the student's appreciation and the quality of expression and writing.

"Educators have always been a tremendous partner for Barnes & Noble and we are thrilled to be able to name our first-ever Teacher of the Year," said Sarah DiFrancesco, director of community relations. "Debbie Davis truly embodies the qualities of a fantastic educator, which is clear through the glowing essay we received from Emily Burns. This award is well-deserved and we're so pleased to present it."

Along with the title of "Teacher of the Year," Davis will receive $5,000 and will be recognized at a special community celebration at her local Barnes & Noble store. Davis's school will receive $5,000 and a free author visit from Laurie Halse Anderson, a New York Times bestselling author who writes for children of all ages. Davis will also receive five copies of the winning essay published in hardcover by Tikatok.com, the website where students create and publish their own books, and a $250 Tikatok Gift Card, which will allow her to publish stories written by students in her class.

The Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher program provides students with the opportunity to tell their communities how much they appreciate their teachers. Teachers from Kindergarten through Grade 12 were eligible for nomination. Awards for local and regional winners included prizes for the teachers and schools, NOOK(TM) eBook Readers and more.

Only students enrolled in Kindergarten through Grade 12 and teachers employed in elementary, middle or high schools in the United States were eligible to win. More details on the contest rules can be found at www.bn.com/myfavoriteteacher.

ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE, INC.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the world's largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 705 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, also operates 636 college bookstores serving nearly 4 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web's largest e-commerce sites, which also features more than two million titles in its NOOK Bookstore(TM) (www.bn.com/ebooks). Through Barnes & Noble's NOOK(TM) eReading product offering, customers can buy and read eBooks on the widest range of platforms, including NOOK eBook Readers, devices from partner companies, and hundreds of the most popular mobile and computing devices using free NOOK software.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.


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