FARMINGTON – SAD 58 language arts teacher Maggie Nerney “just rocks,” her students told those gathered Friday to recognize the Wilton woman as Wal-Mart 2008 Teacher of the Year.

Nerney, 27, followed her students into the Farmington Wal-Mart’s employee lounge and gave a puzzled frown as she spotted her mother in the corner. She kept turning to look at her mother as company community relations representative Peter Zanoni spoke. He commended the seventh-graders in Nerney’s homeroom for their willingness to come to wrap presents for disadvantaged children.

After all, that’s what most of the students and especially, Nerney, thought they were going to do.

But then Zanoni read the nomination submitted on Nerney’s behalf for the award.

“Ms. Nerney has set a standard at Mt. Abram. She goes above and beyond with all students and has volunteered for all extra-curriculars. She developed many worthwhile programs and just rocks!”

Nerney teaches an advanced placement English class at Mt. Abram High School in Salem Township and fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades language arts at the Phillips Elementary School.

Nerney’s face turned to surprise and she wiped tears from her eyes.

She was presented with a plaque and a $100 gift card for herself, and a check for $1,000 from the Wal-Mart Foundation to be spent on items for her classroom.

Nerney’s mother, Jacqueline Nerney, of West Farmington, said her daughter calls her every night with the details of her day.

“Ever since she was a little girl she played teacher,” her mother said. She used to make her younger sister, Katie, sit and learn. She taught her how to read before she went to school.

“I am excited. She so deserved it. She really does,” Jacqueline Nerney said.

Seventh-grader Ben Dudley of Phillips said he has taken a renewed interest in reading since Nerney has become his teacher.

“She’s really nice. She makes learning fun,” Dudley said.

“Oh yeah. She makes it so much funner,” classmate Brooke Blood of Avon said.

She has brought “Fablehaven,” a New York Times best-selling children’s literature fantasy written by Brandon Mull, into their lives.

And, they just love it, the kids said.

They did a mapping of “Fablehaven,” a secret nature preserve protecting the beings of myth and legend from the outside world, according to a book review.

“I hated to read; now, I like it,” Brytni Stuard of Phillips said. “She does cool projects with us. She’s one of my favorite teachers.”

“She does a lot of things with us,” another classmate, Samantha Bachelder, of Phillips said. “She doesn’t make us sit and write cursive all the time. She’s so cool.”

Nerney said she was surprised about the award.

“I love the kids. I love their excitement and they’re so excited they don’t want to stop. They ask to read one more page to continue reading.”

She plans to buy more books in the “Fablehaven” series for the classroom.

“Miss Nerney rocks,” John Andrews of Phillips said.