King High Teacher Named Finalist for State Teacher of the Year

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL -- The news was music to the ears of King High School music students.

King High School teacher, Dr. Dre Graham, the Teacher of the Year for the Hillsborough County School District, was named one of five finalists for Florida Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Dakeyan (Dre) Graham is the director of instrumental studies at King High School, his alma mater. He has been an educator at King High School for 10 years.

Jacob Oliva, the Florida Department of Education's Division of Public Schools chancellor, surprised Graham with the announcement in his music room where he was surrounded by students, Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Jeff Eakins and School Board Chairwoman Tamara Shamburger.

Graham's wife, Casey, is a teacher at Mort Elementary school She was called one hour before the surprise. While administrators at Mort covered her classroom, she rushed over to King High School to be on hand for the announcement.

Graham was named Hillsborough County's Teacher of the year in January.

This year’s five finalists were chosen from more than 176,900 public school teachers throughout the state.

The statewide Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual Florida Teacher of the Year Gala July 18 in Orlando.

See related story: King High Band Director Named Hillsborough County Teacher Of Year