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Five teachers in Utah's coal country will be eligible for awards of $3,500 apiece in the seventh annual Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards program.

The competition is open to teachers in Carbon, Emery, Sanpete and Sevier counties, the main areas impacted by the operations of Arch Coal's Utah subsidiary, Canyon Fuel Co. LLC. The company is Utah's largest coal producer, extracting 11.5 million tons of coal in 2011 from three mines — Sufco, Skyline and Dugout Canyon. That accounted for 58 percent of the state's total last year, 19.8 million tons.

"Outstanding teachers have such a positive influence on our lives, but we often forget to thank them for all they do," said Ken May, general manager of the Sufco mine outside of Salina. "The Teacher Achievement Awards program provides a way for community members to recognize those excellent teachers who helped shape their lives."

Nominations will be accepted through the first week of January. Nominated teachers must fill out a written application that will judged by former award recipients. Winners will be announced in the spring, May said.

Forms are available at http://bit.ly/PnLU3Y.

Mike Gorrell