Raleigh — East Wake Academy teacher Freida Baker will compete for the North Carolina Teacher of the Year title in 2008-09. Baker is the Teacher of the Year in the charter school category and will compete for the state title against eight other educators. They represent different regions across the state.

This is the first year that a teacher has been selected to represent charter schools. East Wake Academy is a charter school in Zebulon.

The winner of the statewide competition will succeed the 2007-08 Teacher of The Year, James Bell, an eight-grade English teacher at Chowan Middle School.

The regional Teachers of the Year are, according to the state Department of Public Instruction:

• Paige Elliott, Fuquay-Varina High, Wake County Schools, North Central region
• Sonya Rinehart, John Holmes High, Edenton-Chowan Public Schools, Northeast region
• Janice Raper, Hurley Elementary, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, Northwest region
• Ruth Parker, Clinton High, Clinton City Schools, Southeast region
• Bernard Waugh, Kannapolis Intermediate, Kannapolis City Schools, Southwest region
• Trisha Muse, Page Street Elementary, Montgomery County Schools, Sandhills/South Central region
• Cindi Rigsbee, Gravelly Hill Middle, Orange County Schools, Piedmont-Triad/Central region
• Renee Peoples, West Elementary, Swain County Schools, West region
• Freida Baker, East Wake Academy, Wake County, Charter Schools

Each of the regional Teachers of the Year will receive a stipend of $5,000 and a trip to a national conference. They also will serve on the 2008-09 Teacher of the Year team.

The 2008-09 Teacher of the Year will be announced April 29 at a dinner and awards ceremony.

North Carolina has recognized teachers through its Teacher of the Year program since 1970.