Instead of the textbook, Hart, 29, passed out small boxes of raisins for her students to observe. To get started, they wrote down words and phrases that their five senses captured from the raisins.

"The raisins sound lonely," Ashley Howard, 15, observed, shaking the box.

"They taste like - I can't say the word in school," deadpanned Ashlee Lytle, 14.

For six years, Hart has used such techniques to engage her students at William W. Bodine High School for International Affairs, at 4th and George streets, in Northern Liberties.

She's taken them on field trips to meet famous writers such as Nikki Giovanni, Julia Alvarez, Michael Eric Dyson and Chinua Achebe, the celebrated Nigerian author of "Things Fall Apart."

And in addition to teaching ninth-grade English and an 11th-grade International Baccalaureate English class, Hart also sponsors the school's Asian Club, the Poetry Club, the National Academic League and, with a colleague, oversees production of the yearbook.

"I sometimes feel bad for Ms. Hart because she does so many things for the students," Rafael Logrono, 14, said between classes. "She's so dedicated and she puts so much passion and interest in every student," he continued. "She won't baby you, but she's there right next to your side pushing you saying, 'You can do that.' "

Bodine Principal Ann B. Gardiner agreed during an interview. "Whenever I think of Ms. Hart, my heart sings the old song, 'You've Got to Have Heart.' That's what I always think, because if the kids need something - a sponsor to do an activity - she says 'Yes.' It really doesn't matter how many other things are on her plate."

Last night, Hart's efforts won her the most coveted honor in a school district of nearly 10,000 teachers: the Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre Teacher of the Year Award.

The award - often bestowed on teachers more than a decade older than Hart - was presented during the school district's 24th annual Celebration of Excellence in Education dinner, at the Franklin Institute in Center City. Hart also received a $2,500 stipend from Lincoln Investment Planning Inc.

During the school day, Hart's students cheered her on, assuring her that she would be picked among the 11 finalists.

For her part, Hart, who is engaged, appeared tickled to be in such exclusive company.

"It's very humbling just to even be nominated. I know that there are people out there doing work that does not get recognized. I know that there are people out there who are facing some very tough situations and still are persevering and making things happen for their students," she said.

Proficient in Spanish and Korean, Hart earned a bachelor's in English and education in 2001 from Swarthmore College and then spent a year teaching English at a girl's high school in South Korea on a Fulbright Fellowship. (She was turned on to the culture by Korean-American friends while growing up in Cherry Hill.)

Upon returning to the U.S. in 2002, Hart was hired at Bodine, a 539-student magnet school that requires pupils to meet entrance requirements. Hart, who was raised with two sisters by their private-investigator father and stay-at-home mom, earned a master's in English Literature in 2006 from Rutgers University.

And she has just completed the requirements to receive National Board Certification, placing her among a small group of Philadelphia teachers who have received that distinction.

For all her accomplishments, Hart uses a down-to-earth method for determining if she's reaching her students.

"If I overhear a conversation where they don't know that I'm listening, and they're talking about literature, or they're talking about writing or something that we did in class - that's the best," she said.

Hart's students think she's the best.

"I've never really been confident in my writing. My grammar sucks, truly. But Ms. Hart proofreads my papers and tells me what's wrong with them. I think her help is the reason I got accepted to these colleges," said senior Quynhdiem Lam, 17, a native of Vietnam and Asian Club president who was accepted to the University of Pennsylvania and Wellesley College.

"Ms. Hart's name matches her because she has a huge heart. She takes all of her students under her wing and just cares for them. She'll say, 'You have to be focused, but have fun too.' She makes us more balanced people," said senior India Johnson, 17, who cited Hart's influence in her decision to major in English at Carnegie Mellon this fall.

Amy Cheng, 18, who's off to study nursing at Penn State this fall, said Hart often encouraged her last year when she had to juggle going to school and helping to care for her sick father.

"When I was about to give up in IB [English] class, she gave me a great push that I needed," Cheng said. "The main reason that I'm going to college is because of her, and if I do feel like I want to give up I can always call on her - I have her number and I have her e-mail." *