Shirley Pyon was thinking of whom she would name the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district's top teacher when she heard her name announced.

"I was not expecting it," Pyon (pronounced PEA-on) said Friday morning after what she called a sleepless night.

The 2007 Gold Star Teacher by SunTrust honor, which includes a $1,000 check and gift certificates from local businesses, was presented to Pyon Thursday night during the 25th annual Recognition Banquet at the Carolina Club.

Pyon, who teaches third-grade, has spent her seven-year teaching career at Scroggs Elementary. She joined the school's faculty after graduating from UNC.

The awards banquet also included the naming of the district's assistant principal of the year and two honor teachers. Making this year's event even more celebratory was the recognition of all past teachers of the year.

Pyon's award caps off a banner year in which she turned 30 and, in a few weeks, will receive a master's degree in mathematics education for K-8. She and her husband Ray, a pilot for a commercial airline, will celebrate three years of marriage in September.

Awards have graced Pyon's career. She received the Horace Mann Educator Scholarship in 2006 and was a North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship recipient from 1996 to 2000. She is the third-grade chair and lead teacher at Scroggs, where she serves on the school's Leadership Committee and Faculty Council. She is also its Professional Learning Communities Leader and Equity Team Leader. Pyon has served as a fourth-grade Novice Teacher Mentor since 2004; and serves on the Academically Gifted Services Team.

Perhaps she was led to teach because the classroom is where she remembers first being accepted in the United States, even though her immigration tale began long before her birth -- her Korean father immigrated to Hawaii at age 15 with his father.

"He worked hard," Pyon said. "He didn't have the opportunity to go to college, so he joined the service at 18, in order to get an education."

In his early 20s he was stationed in South Korea, where he fell in love with and married. Pyon's parents are retired and live in Raleigh. They were in attendance Thursday night, along with Pyon's husband, who is also Korean-American.

Pyon was born in Texas, but at age 3, the family returned to South Korea for two years. Korean replaced English as her language. When she entered kindergarten at Fort Ord, Calif., a kind teacher made her feel welcome.

At first, "music was the only time I could participate," Pyon said. "Fitting in was the best feeling in the world.

"As a high school senior in Fayetteville, I was offered the opportunity to teach Korean language skills to 3- and 4-year-old children at a local Korean language school," she said. "I loved the way my students' eyes would light up when they gained understanding for a new concept."

Knowing that feeling gives her an edge while working with the many foreign speakers who enter the school system each year. Add to that her belief that all children are capable of being successful learners despite academic, social, emotional, cultural or language barriers and it's easy to see why the award went to her.

"Scroggs is an amazing school," Pyon said. "I've really been nurtured and guided by wonderful teachers."

The night did not belong to Pyon alone. Many were recognized, including Marny Ruben of Seawell Elementary School, who was named the assistant principal of the year.

Kathleen Laufer, a special services and occupational course of study teacher at East Chapel Hill High School, and Christina Royster, a fourth-grade teacher at Rashkis Elementary, were designated as Gold Star Honor Teachers and received checks for $500 from SunTrust, as well as gift certificates.

Making this year's event even more celebratory was the recognition given to all teachers of the year who have received the award in its 25 years.

Pat Beyle, former choral teacher at Chapel Hill High who retired in 1994, had high praise for the event.

"This recognition time becomes more and more important as the school system grows," she said Friday. "You get to see the importance of one person as you see these outstanding teachers in front of you."

She was especially touched when Pyon thanked her parents in Korean for allowing her the privilege of being educated in the United States.

"It was very touching. It puts a real intimate spin on the teacher of the year and recognition," said Beyle, who was teacher of the year in 1984. "When you retire, you walk away and whatever recognition you got while teaching becomes history and so to be re-recognized was a real thrill."