WRIGHT, Wyo. (December 2, 2005) – Greg Schaefer isn't counting the shopping days until Christmas. In fact, if truth be told, he's already bought a majority of the presents for his family says Schaefer, vice president of external affairs for Arch Coal.

Instead, Schaefer is counting the days left for Wyoming citizens to nominate a teacher for a $2,500 Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Award. January 16 is the final day teachers may be nominated for the 2006 awards, he says.

"Maybe some people will wait until the last minute to nominate a great Wyoming classroom teacher," says Schaefer. "But, if you nominate right now, that will give your nominee more time to complete our application – and your teacher will know before the holidays that he or she was nominated as a terrific teacher. That's a good present!"

Nomination forms are available in Wyoming libraries, schools, Taco John's and Loaf 'n Jug locations and on the Internet at www.archteacherawards.com.

This is the program's sixth year in Wyoming. Arch Coal has support from the Wyoming Department of Education, the Wyoming Education Association, Taco John's, Loaf 'n Jug and Wyoming library community in promoting the program.

Arch Coal is the nation's second largest coal producer and employs approximately 900 people in Wyoming. Arch Coal's Black Thunder mine sells more than 90 million tons of clean-burning, low-sulfur coal on an annual basis. Located in Campbell County, Black Thunder mine is one of the largest and most efficient coal mines in the world. Arch Coal is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACI) and maintains its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo.