AMGEN APPRECIATES AREA TEACHERS' WORK.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Citing a desire to show educators that their work is appreciated, Amgen Inc. awarded $10,000 prizes to five local teachers for their exceptional contributions to education.

Recipients of the sixth annual Amgen Award For Teacher Excellence are Debra Bereki, who teaches integrated science and geology at Fillmore High School; Bruce Kanegai, an art teacher at Simi Valley High School; Dale Larson, a sixth-grade teacher at Dos Caminos School in Camarillo; Doug Ruby, a fifth-grade teacher at Los Nogales School in Camarillo; and Jon Sand, a first-grade teacher at Aspen Elementary School.

Sand, who has taught for 12 years, said he was ``shocked and enthusiastic'' about receiving the award.

``You want to pinch yourself and say, `Am I just dreaming?' '' Sand said.

Kanegai, who in the past has been recognized for his teaching by other groups and organizations, said he was honored to be singled out.

``We have so many teachers at our school who are deserving, too,'' Kanegai said. ``I just feel it's a reflection and a thank-you for my philosophy of teaching.''

The awards are intended to foster quality education at local schools and let educators know how much their work is appreciated, Amgen spokeswoman Lynne Connell said.

Also, biotechnology firms such as Amgen - one of the area's biggest employers - rely on a highly-educated work force, making quality education particularly important.

``We've got 3,000 employees that work here in Thousand Oaks and about 90 percent live here in Ventura County,'' she said. ``So, many employees have sons and daughters that attend schools here - that's another reason why we feel it's important.''

The award recipients will get their cash awards next month during National Teacher Appreciation Week at a private dinner reception at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library near Simi Valley.

The awards are sponsored by the Amgen Foundation.

The recipients were chosen by three anonymous judges who are not associated with Amgen. The program is open to Ventura County educators who teach grades kindergarten through 12.

Names of teachers were submitted on nomination forms published in newspapers between December and February, sent to local schools or accessed through the Internet, according to Amgen.

More than 1,500 nomination forms were submitted - the most since the program was initiated by Daryl Hill, senior vice president of quality and compliance in 1991, according to Amgen. Nominations came from parents, teachers, students and school administrators.

From those submitted forms, 590 teachers were formally nominated for the award, according to Amgen.