MyTeacherMyHero.com: New Website Honors Teachers Nationwide Who Have Changed Lives

MyTeacherMyHero.com: New Website Honors Teachers Nationwide Who Have Changed
Lives
Celebrities, Business Leaders, Public Officials, and Others Share Personal
Videos Online about the Teachers Who Impacted Their Lives and Careers

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Remember the teacher who changed your
life? Set you on an exciting career path? Or maybe just helped you see things
a little more clearly? Today marks the public invitation for people to thank
the teachers who touched their lives, by posting their own video message to
MyTeacherMyHero.com. Anyone who does will be in good company -- joining
celebrities, athletes, public officials, and business leaders who have already
personally thanked their teachers in candid videos posted online in an effort
to help launch the new My Teacher, My Hero initiative. Then, during National
Teacher Appreciation Week May 3-7, 2010, a series of awards will be granted to
the teachers acknowledged on the site, including the most viewed videos, and
to the schools which tally the most teachers thanked.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has recently issued a call for
teachers, estimating that 1.7 million new teachers will be needed by 2017. Yet
recent university polls show that many students do not pursue teaching
careers, mainly because of low salaries and a perceived lack of respect. A
social video-driven website, MyTeacherMyHero.com was created to recognize and
thank teachers for their important role in our society, with the ultimate goal
of attracting more talented, intelligent people into the teaching profession.

"While we can't change the pay scale for our educators, My Teacher, My Hero
seeks to change the perception of the profession by honoring the efforts and
impact of teachers nationwide," said Jeremy Johnson, an online education
innovator and creator of My Teacher, My Hero.

"MyTeacherMyHero.com - and the contributors who have already posted their
videos - hope to inspire a new generation of talented, passionate people to
take pride in their desire to teach, and remind many others of the importance
of teachers in their own lives."

Anyone from anywhere in the country can share their personal story of a
teacher who has influenced his or her life by simply uploading a video, or
filming right from their webcam to the site.

My Teacher, My Hero has already attracted a wide range of supporters, from
Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana and
Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan T.M. Reckford, to media personalities Howard
Stern of Sirius|XM Radio and Kathie Lee Gifford of NBC's TODAY Show.

Other notable contributors to date include: Buzz Aldrin (Astronaut), Russell
Simmons (Hip Hop Impresario), Craig Newmark (Founder, Craigslist), Sue Naegle
(President, HBO Entertainment), Bar Rafaeli (Supermodel), Barry Meyer (CEO,
Warner Bros.), Dave Winfield (MLB Hall of Famer), Seth Godin (Author/Blogger),
Alan Mullaly (CEO, Ford Motor), Dan Bane (CEO, Trader Joe's), Esther Dyson
(Entrepreneur/Investor), Hoda Kotb (Host, TODAY Show), Sherri Shepherd (Host,
The View), Robert Rubin (former Secretary of the Treasury), Antonio
Villaraigosa (Mayor of LA), and many more.

"Mrs. Silverman [of Fremont Elementary School in Montebello, CA] always
believed in me and made me feel that I was important - and as a result, I
wanted to have the same impact in the lives of children. So I became an
educator 27 years later. And in her tribute, I work everyday to make a
difference in the lives of children," said Assistant U.S. Secretary of
Education Dr. Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana in her video.

Through education-based sponsors and partners, MyTeacherMyHero.com also allows
visitors to instantly support teachers across the U.S. - and to find out more
about becoming teachers themselves. Every school mentioned in a video will be
automatically set up with its own landing page on the website, where visitors
can instantly make tax-deductible donations for much needed school supplies
through non-profit partner ClassWish.org. Also, through the University of
Southern California's Rossier School of Education, visitors can also get
information about the MAT@USC - the first Master of Arts in Teaching program
delivered online from an elite research university.

In his video, Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan T.M Reckford noted, "...there
are few things nobler than unleashing the imaginations and gifts of our next
generation."

About Our Partners
The MAT@USC is a Master of Arts in Teaching program delivered online from the
University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education. The MAT@USC
combines online learning with carefully selected field-based experiences and
provides ongoing support for new teachers, including job placement assistance
and partial tuition reimbursement opportunities. For additional information on
requirements and admissions, please visit http://mat.usc.edu or call (888)
628-1872.

ClassWish.org, a new non-profit website, helps teachers and school get the
resources they need for children to explore their potential and excel.
Teachers visit the site to create a Wish List of the supplies they need to
equip great classrooms, as easily as shopping online. Parents, alumni, local
businesses, and other supporters see exactly what is needed and make
tax-deductible contributions to help. ClassWish sends the supplies directly to
teachers at the school. The result? Teachers get the support they need.
Parents and communities are engaged in supporting classrooms and funding the
things they care about. Everyone is united in helping our children learn,
grow, and perform at their best. For additional information, please visit
http://ClassWish.org; email media@ClassWish.org; or call (212) 972-2368.

Press Contact:
Kevin McLaughlin
Resound Marketing
(609) 279-0050 x102
Kevin@resoundmarketing.com

SOURCE My Teacher, My Hero

Kevin McLaughlin, Resound Marketing, +1-609-279-0050 x102,
Kevin@resoundmarketing.com