Nine Maine teachers, including five from central Maine, have been given a Golden Apple Award by a New England broadcasting company.

Nassau Broadcasting, which runs Frank-FM and WLAM, among other radio stations, began looking for outstanding teachers last fall. The group received thousands of nominations from students, parents and school administrators.

A committee selected one winner each month during the school year.

Winners include a Leeds teacher who didn’t let her battle with cancer get in the way of school, and a Turner middle school shop teacher who was never too busy to help a student, according to the committee. The committee also selected a Topsham special education teacher and field hockey coach known for teaching her teenagers teamwork, respect and responsibility.

Local winners are: Laura Gouin of Oxford Elementary School, Heidi O’Leary of Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham, Marilyn Curtis of Marion T. Morse Elementary School in Lisbon Falls, Joni Cook of Leeds Central School and Bruce Bell of Tripp Middle School in Turner.

Other winners include: Ginny Day of Edna Libby Elementary School in Standish, David Chidsey of Gorham Middle School, Robin Hughes of Coastal Christian School in Waldoboro and John Carmichael of Portland Arts and Technology High School.

All nine were honored by Gov. John Baldacci during a luncheon in Auburn this week.

The award was sponsored by the U.S. Army.