Michael Kraus was stunned. The Putnam City High School Spanish teacher, visiting his former school because he was told he would see a fellow teacher honored, was instead surprised to hear his own name called. Kraus was named Wednesday as Oklahoma’s 2007 American Star of Teaching by the U.S. Department of Education. Carolyn Snowbarger, director of the Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative for the U.S. Department of Education, announced his selection.

The surprise announcement by came in an assembly at Western Oaks Middle School, where Kraus taught for nine years before moving to Putnam City High this year. It was for his work at Western Oaks that Kraus was recognized.

Kraus was nominated for the award by Peggy Boyles, Putnam City’s former foreign language coordinator.

"Michael Kraus is an extraordinary teacher. He has the exquisite talent of being able to connect to kids at any level. He approaches teaching with enthusiasm and energy, and it's contagious. Putnam City, and indeed the United States, is fortunate to have him as a foreign language teacher," Boyles says.

Dr. Don Wentroth, principal at Putnam City High, says Kraus influences lives for the better.

"One of the joys of my job is watching him teach and see how well he relates to students and how well students learn. Students who’ve had a class with him a fortunate to have been taught by an incredible young man and an outstanding teacher. He’s fantastic," says Don Wentroth, principal at Putnam City High School.

One teacher from every state and the District of Columbia representing all grade levels and disciplines are being honored this fall as American Stars of Teaching. A committee of former teachers at the U.S. Department of Education selected the American Stars from among more than 4,000 nominations based on teachers’ success in improving academic performance for all their students.