Yellowknife (Apr 16/03) - Gayla Meredith is tops in the eyes of her students.

Meredith, a Grade 3 teacher at Range Lake North school, won the annual 'Teachers Making a Difference' contest thanks to a touching nomination from one of her 24 students.

The contest, co-sponsored by the NWT Teachers' Association, the District Education Council and the District Education Authority, is in its sixth year.

This year students from NWT and Nunavut submitted more than 800 nominations.

And Jared Brandvold's nomination was the one drawn during the grand finale in Fort Simpson, Feb. 27.

Brandvold has had Meredith as a teacher for Grade 2 and 3.

He loves to write stories and make books out of them, create dioramas and make presentations in her class.

"She makes it easier for people by helping us out. If we get stuck she helps us out," he said while showing off his latest work -- a book about life under the sea.

He nominated her for the annual award last year too.

"But that time I wasn't so lucky," he smiled.

Meredith is modest about the win.

For her it's touching that her students would take the time to say something nice about her.

"What's neat is you get the nominations back and you get these precious little clippings," said Meredith from her book-filled classroom.

"It's inspirational to read the words they've written."

Meredith won a trip for two to Edmonton, which she hopes to use this summer. And Brandvold won a personal computer and colour printer.