Dr. Kenneth Rainey, Southern Polytechnic State University's Teacher of the Year, was recognized recently at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce Teachers of the Year luncheon. Celebrating 110 Cobb County educators, the event was attended by U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige and Rep. Johnny Isakson, R-east Cobb. Rainey was also honored at the Give Our Schools a Hand pep rally at Marietta's Roswell Street Baptist Church, where he was presented with a plaque.

"This is a great honor. For me, teaching is what I love the most. It's a joy seeing my students learn and then go on to become successful," he said. Rainey, a professor in the humanities and technical communication program at SPSU, has been teaching since 1963 and has been with SPSU since 1989.

Last year, he was selected for the 2000 edition of Who’s Who in America®. Rainey received the prestigious J.R. Gould Award for outstanding teaching in technical communication in 1999, and was honored as the 1997-1998 Regents Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning.