CALAIS – A Jobs for Maine Graduates teacher was all smiles Tuesday during ceremonies for Wal-Mart’s 2004 Teacher of the Year award.

A $10,000 check also added to Eddie Leeman’s happiness, although the check was made out to Calais High School.

Leeman was one of 3,000 teachers who applied for the award. Of the thousands of applicants, 51 were selected, representing each state and Puerto Rico.

Now Leeman, 36, will compete nationally with the other 50 winners for a chance at a $25,000 award

Charles Bradford, Calais’ Wal-Mart store manager, said the awards program was designed to recognize outstanding local teachers and the schools where they teach. “I am very proud to be here,” Bradford said. “I certainly hope we can come back and give a national award here at Calais High School.”

Leeman also was presented with a jacket that said “Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club Congratulate Edward Leeman, Maine 2004 Teacher of the Year.”

Dr. Jerome Storm, representative of Phi Delta Kappa Educational Association and emeritus professor of education at the University of Maine, said Leeman exemplified the fine qualities that Phi Delta Kappa stood for.

Storm praised Wal-Mart for establishing the program. He said the corporate giant worked closely with Phi Delta Kappa, which made the selection. “Ed Leeman represents the finest of the principles of Phi Delta Kappa,” he said.

The professor then presented Leeman with a membership in Phi Delta Kappa.

Leeman said he was overwhelmed by the attention. “I stand in front of many of my colleagues that actually taught me here,” he said.

Leeman, who is a graduate of Calais High School, also thanked the students whom he said made the award possible. “CHS students, this is your award, this is not my award. I’ve been here for 12 years and it’s been the students who have done the community service projects. I’ve helped organize them, but it’s been you folks who have produced,” he said.

In 1993, the Legislature created the program to help stem the rate of school dropouts and improve their prospects for employment. Now, the Jobs for Maine Graduates program also is sending students on to postsecondary education. That number is up from 28 percent to 42 percent in the past five years.

Calais High Principal Jeff Aronson said there were 43 Jobs for Maine Graduates programs in the state. “Calais has the second-longest tenure of a JMG program,” he said. “There are thousands of teachers in the state of Maine, we clearly have recognized here today the teacher for whom Carly Simon wrote, ‘Nobody can do it better.’ Nobody does it better than Mr. Leeman.”