Teaching Award Finalist Honored

When you’re standing next to Goofy, it’s hard to repress a humorous impulse.

Fred Carrington, one of three nationwide finalists for the Disney-co-sponsored American Teacher Awards in physics, found himself in that spot Thursday during an assembly at Grant High School. True to his jocular reputation--nearly everyone at Grant calls him “Derf,” Fred spelled backward--he uncorked a vintage pun after head pats and a thumbs-up from Goofy.

“Someone asked me this morning if I was going to retire. I told them I don’t think I want to get into the automotive industry,” said Carrington, 58. “OK, that was a bad one. But thank you all very much.”

Students, administrators and executives from McDonald’s and Disney, co-sponsors of the awards, gathered in the school courtyard to pay tribute to the bearded science whiz. One of 36 finalists in the 12 award categories, Carrington will don a tuxedo for Sunday’s ceremony at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre, which will be televised on the Disney Channel on Saturday and Sunday.

At the ceremony, the 12 category winners will vote for an overall Outstanding Teacher of 1996, who will win $25,000 for him- or herself, $25,000 for his or her school and $10,000 for his or her district.

Disney Channel Vice President Ben Pyne said 1,500 teachers applied to the 7-year-old awards program. In May, Carrington was selected as one of 60 semifinalists. Over the summer, he joined the list of finalists.

After the school band and drill team performed and a choir sang the Disney favorites “It’s a Small World” and “When You Wish Upon a Star,” two of Carrington’s students took the microphone.

“He helps us laugh at things that make us want to tear our hair out,” said Danae Davis, a junior in Grant’s communications technology magnet program. “He makes us want to learn and want to believe.”