Wright, Wyo. (August 2, 2006) – Arch Coal, Inc. will again honor some of Wyoming's most talented and dedicated classroom teachers in the coming school year, according to Greg Schaefer, the company's vice president of external affairs.

Ten exceptional classroom teachers will receive a $2,500 cash award from Arch Coal in the 2006-2007 school year, Schaefer said. This is the seventh year that Arch Coal will acknowledge superior classroom teaching with its statewide program.

The Wyoming Department of Education, the Wyoming Education Association, the Wyoming library community, Taco John's and Loaf 'n Jug stores support the program through promotion of nominations and recognition of the recipients.

"This is a unique program for our state," Schaefer explained. "Our program relies upon the public to tell us who it believes are our very best teachers. Arch Coal is very proud to support our state's exceptional teachers and to provide them with these financial rewards.

"Each year hundreds of nominations are received from the public telling us who our best classroom teachers are," said Schaefer. "Nominees must complete an exhausting application that inquires about their teaching philosophy, classroom proficiency and community service. Finally, each application is reviewed and scored by peers – other teachers who most often are former recipients of the award."

Nomination forms will be available in schools, libraries, Taco Johns and Loaf 'n Jug locations across the state shortly after the start of the school year, as well as on the Web at www.archteacherawards.com.

Arch Coal is the nation's second largest coal producer and employs more than 1,200 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.