Scott Swanson
Of The New Era
Hawthorne first-grade teacher Barbi Riggs was honored Oct. 7 as Wal-Mart’s Willamette Valley region Teacher of the Year.
Riggs, who is in her fifth year of teaching, received a check for $1,000 for Hawthorne at a “big” school assembly, a plaque and a $100 gift card for her classroom. The honor was a surprise, she said.
“I had no idea,” she said, adding that Hawthorne staffers were contacted in…