Colorado teacher takes top award

ANAHEIM, California (CNN) -- A teacher at school for the blind and deaf in Colorado has been named the Disney American Teacher Outstanding Teacher Award for 2001.

Benning L. (Ben) Wentworth III accepted the award in a ceremony at Disneyland taped November 10 for broadcast on Lifetime television Thursday.

Wentworth created a tactile planetarium -- the only such exhibit in North America -- for his students at the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis was also honored at the ceremony with the annual Frank G. Wells Award, recognizing those who teach from outside the teaching profession.

Thirty-five honorees were whittled down to 10 finalists during the ceremony, which will be broadcast Thursday evening.

Disney CEO Michael Eisner presented the award, which includes $25,000 for Wentworth. The 35 honorees each received $10,000 awards, and the ten finalists an additional $5,000. The schools of each of the honorees receive $5,000.

Wentworth called all his fellow honorees to the podium to share in the award.