Gina S. Hart, 29, who has taught at the Bodine High School for International Affairs since 2002, was feted at the Franklin Institute.

Hart said in an interview yesterday that she was "blown away" to know she was one of 11 finalists. (The name of the winner was kept a surprise until last night's banquet.)

"I'm only teaching six years, and there are so many people who have had more experience and done a lot more. It's a great honor."

Hart, her nominators said, brings "a lively spirit to the learning environment," shows "overwhelming devotion to her students," and seeks extra training to improve her craft.

It's hard to find an activity that Hart is not involved in at her Northern Liberties school. She has run the poetry club, the Latino writers' forum, and the mentally gifted program. She sponsors the Asian club, the theater program and the yearbook, and she coaches the academic club.

Hart also was one of 61 district high school teachers recognized for excellence by the Lindback Foundation this month.

The teacher-of-the-year award is named after Ruth Wright Hayre, a district educator who died in 1998. The honor recognizes excellence in planning and growth, high expectations for students, classroom environment, self-reflection, professional growth, and commitment to equity and cultural sensitivity.

It is sponsored by Lincoln Investment Planning Inc. and carries a $2,500 stipend. The award was one of several presented at a ceremony held in partnership with Comcast and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

As a student at Cherry Hill High School West, Hart was involved in many activities, and she said she wanted to give her students the same opportunity.

On Martin Luther King's Birthday, she drove students to her alma mater, Swarthmore College, for a tour.

"I don't have a family, so I can spend a lot of time at school," she said.

She found her love for teaching as a college student.

"I started out as a political-science major and quickly found out I wanted to teach and not argue," she said.