English teacher Janet Headington loves to share her passion for learning with her students at Hercules High School, providing them with an experience that often goes outside the classroom.

Three years ago, 30 students and four chaperones made a four-day trip to New York City, where they saw the major sights and took in a Broadway play. The learning experience included a stop at ground zero, the former site of the World Trade Center.

Two years ago, a group from the school went to Spain, Italy and France and in January it was a trip to Washington, D.C., for the presidential inauguration. Such far-reaching and expensive destinations aren't always practical, so last year's trip was to the site of the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ore.

The 21-year district veteran also wants her students to know the enthusiasm she has as an educator, which is why she established the Hercules High School Teacher Cadet program. The program sends students to elementary schools in the city and Hercules Middle School to act as cadets providing teaching help in the classroom.

Some of the earlier cadets now are colleagues at local schools, she noted with pride, including a math teacher at Hercules High. "As unappealing as the times are I hope and pray we attract quality educators," she said. "It's getting to be a harder and harder sell."

Headington's passion for her profession will be acknowledged next week when she is

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honored as the recipient of the Warren W. Eukel Teacher Trust.

The trust was established in 1992 in memory of Eukel, a Contra Costa County resident who worked in physics and nuclear research and "worked for more than three decades to help teachers positively influence students."

The honor, which includes an award of $10,000, will be presented at the gala Eukel Teacher Trust 18th Anniversary Awards Dinner at the Diablo Country Club, 1700 Clubhouse Road, Diablo at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The annual awards dinner will be hosted by Contra Costa's own celebrity chef and wine critic, Narsai David, who personally designs a multicourse meal prepared by chefs from top Bay Area restaurants. Headington is one of two teachers who will be honored this year.

Headington, who attended De Anza High School in Richmond, has a lot of family and friends in the area who might want to attend the banquet. Tickets for the black tie optional gala are a tax-deductible contribution of $150 each or $1,500 per table. Those who want to attend should contact the trust at 925-945-0200 as soon as possible for details and reservations.

WEST COUNTY NOTES: Martha Booz reports that there is still time to add your input to the El Sobrante Farmers Market feasibility survey, which is online at http://bit.ly/ROw5A until Nov. 30. Booz, who came up with the idea of bringing fresh produce grown more locally to a weekly market in the valley, is hoping for more participation than the 200 or so responses received so far.

  • The photo exhibit on the pioneer Japanese nurseries once found along the El Cerrito-Richmond border been so popular that the El Cerrito Historical Society has decided to keep it in place at the Open House Senior Center, 6500 Stockton Ave., through the end of the year.

  • Andrea Bailey has bid a fond farewell to being fund development director at the Greater Richmond Interfaith Program. Sharleen Harty takes the post as of this month.

  • The Veterans Day observance held at the S.S. Red Oak Victory in Richmond last Sunday included a ceremonial presentation of pre-1944 books to replace the volumes in the original ship library. The presentation made by John Stillwell, a native of Red Oak, Iowa, will go into the recently restored library aboard the historic victory ship.

  • Doris Villadsen Mendell has an exhibit of seven photographs and two paintings on display at the El Cerrito Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane, through the end of the month.