Two more educators were recognized by the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce Friday.

Tom Johnson of Mandan Junior High School received the Teacher of the Year Award for the elementary level, which is for kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers. Mike McCormack of Bismarck State College received the award for post secondary educators.

An ear-splitting roar of applause and cheers greeted the announcement at Mandan Junior High School. Students met in the large gym for the announcement, and a few students shouted out his name and hollered before the announcement was finished.

He's a favorite teacher among the staff at the junior high. In the words of one student, read by principal Harlan Haak, "Mr. Johnson is the bomb."

High praise indeed.

He was recognized for making math fun and understandable to students. He is available before school to help students, and apparently has a knack for keeping students awake in class, as one student wrote that they don't fall asleep in Johnson's class. Maybe it's his game-show-style math lessons. His students sometimes play Wheel of Fortune and Family Feud, among other games, in class.

Johnson was nominated for the award by fellow teacher Chad Huff. Johnson had nominated Huff for the award.

"I enjoy what I'm doing," Johnson said. "It's neat to see my work honored by other people. It's a boost to get you going."

He told the students that he enjoys his job, and he hopes that someday they find equally enjoyable work.

McCormack also enjoys his job. He's a history teacher at BSC. Students remember him, and ask about him, BSC President Larry Skogen said.

McCormack stopped short inside the library doors, looked around, smiled and gave a little shrug Friday morning. Then the roomful of people started clapping, and he turned to give his dean a hug and walked the rest of the way in.

"I thought they were either jerking my tenure or it was a party,"McCormack joked. "The library shouldn't be this full on a Friday."

Skogen joshed with him by welcoming him to his retirement party.

But then they got down to business, praising him for his teaching. He is known for making history relevant and helping students see situations from different viewpoints.

Usually a man of many words, he was brief in his comments Friday.

"I'm a lucky man to teach at an institution I love, have colleagues I mostly love and have students who challenge me," he said.

Students come back to him later in life and tell him what he taught made a difference in their life, he said.

The chamber awards three teachers for outstanding teaching each year with the teacher of the year award. It recognizes a teacher from each level: elementary, secondary and higher education. The secondary teacher of the year award went to Bismarck High School English teacher Kathy Lord Olson. Recipients receive a crystal apple and a gift basket.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)