Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 27, 1995                   TAG: 9503010006
SECTION: NEWSFUN                    PAGE: NF-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TEACHER OF THE WEEK

Not once in all those years, Zahn says, has she ever doubted her career choice. "There is nothing I'd rather do than be in a classroom," she said. "In fact, when I retire, I plan to volunteer at school."

Zahn attributes her long-standing enthusiasm to an active life, which includes traveling and gardening, outside the classroom.

"You come back refreshed when you can get away from school," she said.

Zahn says she was influenced to become a teacher not only by the excellent biology and history teachers she had in high school and college, but by teachers who were less than great.

"I had some poor teachers, and I knew I could do better than them. They influenced me as much or more than the good ones," she said. "I knew there had to be a better way of getting the message across."

"Mrs. Zahn makes learning a snap," said her nominator. "In math class, if we do not really get what we are working on, she will go over it again so we can understand it better."

Married and the mother of two grown daughters, Zahn visits her 6-month-old grandson in Alabama every chance she gets. The Smith Mountain Lake resident is an avid cross-stitcher and wildflower gardener.