Mayor John Hickenlooper will be the featured speaker Tuesday, March 9 at a reception and fundraiser for the Denver Teachers’ Awards.

The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Brooklyn’s, 901 Auraria Pkwy., Tickets are $35.

“The quality of our schools is the foundation of our city’s future,” Mayor Hickenlooper has said. “Opportunities exist to further engage the business community in actively supporting Denver Public Schools. Our efforts must focus on creating a city that is teacher-friendly, child-friendly and family-friendly.”

Honoring excellence in education in Denver Public Schools is the primary function of the Denver Teachers’ Awards. Each year, the awards honor outstanding teachers with the Distinguished Teachers Awards, which include a $1,000 gift. Business and community volunteers are recognized with the Helen Phelps Awards.

The Teachers Awards Foundation was formed in 1956 as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of strengthening the foundation of freedom by promoting and rewarding excellence in education. Teachers may be nominated by their principal, other teachers, staff members, parents or members of the community. To be eligible for nomination, a teacher must have completed five years of successful teaching in Denver Public Schools and must not have won the award previously.

For more information about the March 9 event, please call Sharon Tave at 303-863-3701.