Catalogs.com staff is buzzing with excitement, as more than 450 teacher entries have already been submitted in our first week. It’s either because our contest “Tools for Teaching” is so cool and enticing, or it’s indicative of hard economic times and the tough realization that public schools are feeling the federal government's budgetary cuts.

Regardless, the essays that keep pouring in are compelling and very interesting. It will certainly be a difficult choice to make when selecting five winners.