group representing differing interests and regions is not often seen in our time of political polarization. I know that with more Tier One universities in Texas, the list of accomplished Texans will be all the more plentiful.

Cecil Fincher, Lubbock
Rob Eissler and Florence Shapiro , chairs of the House and Senate education committees, for their landmark legislation overhauling accountability in our public schools.

Jon H. Fleming, North Zulch

My nominee is Todd Henry, the special-education teacher at John Tyler High School who was stabbed to death in his classroom by a student. He truly gave his life for education.

Craig Gibson, Tyler

How about taking a break from pointing out the flaws of public schools and recognize the approximately 300,000 public school teachers who, on a daily basis, are teaching 4.7 million students in this state?

Richard McGowan, history teacher, Academic Decathlon coach, McKinney Boyd High School

Tom Luce identified the inadequacies of our nation's education system long before most of us and has been in the forefront of advancing innovative solutions. I am most impressed with his National Math and Science Initiative, which he launched in 2006 to improve performance in math, science and English. During 2009, we began to see the first results of his Advanced Placement and UTeach programs, and they surpassed all expectations.

Ronald G. Steinhart, Dallas

Making a difference

On behalf of the 70,000 confirmed abused and neglected children in Texas, I nominate their champion, Barbara Elias-Perciful. Barbara left a lucrative law practice to devote herself to making Texas a safer place for abused children by advocating for better laws and by improving how civil child abuse cases are handled. These cases can have life-and-death consequences for children.

Barbara founded a nonprofit, Texas Loves Children, and blazed the trail of creating a unique way to use innovative technology to provide judges and attorneys with the materials and information needed and ways to share their expertise to reach the best outcome for each child.

Laura Wilson, Texas Lawyers for Children

We would like to nominate Pastor Chris L. Simmons of the Cornerstone Baptist Church at 1819 Martin Luther King Jr . Blvd. He is the best-kept secret in Dallas County. He and his members have turned the community surrounding the church into an oasis.

What were once crack dens are now apartments for men fresh out of prison. What was once a liquor store is now a kitchen for the homeless where more than 1,400 meals are served weekly. There is a new housing development scheduled to open in early 2010 that will provide affordable housing for low-income residents. The old vacant Safeway store is now the new home of Cornerstone Baptist Church. The old church is now an academy for grades K-6. Pastor Chris has reached out to other churches to offer help with these worthwhile projects, and all this is done with little or no public funds.

Charles and Jackie Jones, Dallas

How about Mike Simpson, executive director of Arts of Collin County? He is working on a project that will enrich North Texas for years to come.

L. Edward Sizemore, McKinney

Starting with a memorial fund from her 15-year-old son's untimely death, Pam Cope rescues trafficked children in Saigon, child slaves in Ghana and AIDS orphans in Cambodia. Best of all, her Touch a Life Foundation has inspired teenagers across North Texas to pitch in: from New Tech High in Coppell, where students "adopt" and support rescued children, to North Richland Hills, where football rivals Haltom and Richland dedicated their game to fundraising for Ghana.

Tracy Begland, Coppell

Chris Hall, head athletic trainer for TCU. He has been in Fort Worth and at TCU for more than 20 years. Chris has helped athletes recover from countless injuries, counseled athletes with various troubles and, most importantly, acted as second father to 20 years' worth of student trainers like me.

Cody Carpenter, The Colony

I suggest Larry James of Central Dallas Ministries, where much is done to help many others.

Mary Rosen, Dallas

The Bush legacy

Laura Bush has been a trailblazer in public education and promoting the welfare of the children of Texas and the world, as well as a powerful advocate for women during her career as an educator and her tenure as The Most Powerful Woman in the World. Her charm and grace is unequaled. She is a magnificent reflection of the state of Texas.

Bill S. Vowell, Irving

George or Laura Bush. I'm grateful for their gracious, dignified service and admire their love of the U.S.A. I wish the president would have been more fiscally conservative, but he kept us safe.

Janice Toland, Denton

This and that

Terri Hall, founder of Texas TURF, an all-volunteer grassroots group defending citizens' concerns with toll-road policy and working toward affordable and transparent non-toll transportation solutions in Texas.

Joan Ream, Heath

My entry is Monsignor Mark Seitz, pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community. Father Mark, out of the love and goodness of his heart, donated a kidney for me. Read our journal entries on CaringBridge.org. They really tell you what a holy and unselfish man he is.

Carrie Gehling, Dallas

My nomination is "The Wind Turbine." It has revived the economy of much of Texas by creating jobs. It is showing the way to the nation on how to become more energy independent. It is providing a new and exciting industry in which to develop a career. Finally, it is not a politician. It definitely keeps its mouth shut while working hard day and night!

Tom Goss, Flower Mound

Honestly, I can't think of anyone in the news in the last year that I'm proud to have as a fellow Texan. It seems that all the Texans in the news these days are mean-spirited and hateful, and promote a very negative image of what used to be one of the nicest states in the U.S.

Erin Marckwardt, Waxahachie

I vote for the FBI for foiling the Fountain Place bomber.

Dwight Henneberger, Dallas

The Texans of the Year should be the large number of those without health insurance. The percentage of uninsured Texans exceeds that of most of the other states, and this issue has put Texas in the spotlight in a significant, albeit negative, way.

Alan Kazdoy, Dallas

My nomination is Irving citizen Doug Harper, who single-handedly stopped a dictatorial, top-down Irving city government, mayor and council from destroying a 200-year-old oak in the middle of a city park for a bloated fire station.

Joe Sissom, Irving

Call to duty

Dr. Robert Gates , former president of Texas A&M, now in the Obama administration. He is a true American, serving two presidents and in some of the most perilous times. He is not thinking of himself or a political party.

Dorothy Ivey, Dallas

All the men and women in uniform who have lost their lives or limbs should be Texans of the Year. They have given more to all Texans than anyone.

Mary Logan, Kaufman

I recommend those who greet returning military at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

John Garrett, Dallas

I nominate Brad Blauser, an Irving native and Texas A&M graduate, who moved to Iraq about 2004 to head "Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids," giving mobility to disabled Iraqi children.

Elaine Taylor, Irving

Texan of the Year should go to that man who mows your parkway of leaves while he does his own; that neighbor who checks to see if you are OK after a storm; that nurse who gives you a pillow for when you cough after surgery; that driver who waves "thanks" when you give way. All of those Texans who express common decency and caring deserve this award. They make Texas a great place to live.

Betsy Whitfill, Dallas