All wrapped up in knowledge – USA TODAY gives 20 awards to creative instructors whose students can’t help but care.

Pete Karpyk grew up in the steel town of Warren, Ohio, with expectations of a union job like the one that brought his father a piece of the American dream.

An immigrant of Ukrainian descent, Karpyk arrived in the USA at age 4 and spoke no English. Early language difficulties set the tone for him in the classroom.

"In high school, I worked the midnight shift (at the mill) and barely graduated. I didn’t like it, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do," he says.

After college, Karpyk discovered he enjoyed working with kids and had a knack for distilling chemistry concepts from activities such as shrink-wrapping students and exploding soap bubbles. In his 28 years teaching at Weir High in Weirton, W.Va., a Rust Belt town where the mill jobs are drying up, Karpyk has inspired legions of students to love chemistry. Among them are engineers, doctors, pharmacists and nurses.

For his teaching alchemy, Karpyk is named Thursday to the eighth annual All-USA Teacher Team, USA TODAY’s recognition program for outstanding teachers. The 20 winners — 19 individuals and one instructional team of four — receive trophies and share $2,500 cash awards with their schools. Each teacher wins $500.

By Tracey Wong Briggs, USA TODAY

Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-10-12-all-usa-teachers_x.htm