DOVER, Del. -- A Sussex County special education teacher was named Delaware's nominee in the National Teacher of the Year Competition Tuesday night.

Dana Bowe teaches kindergarten through second grade for the Sussex County Orthopedic Program at West Seaford Elementary School. She accepted the title Tuesday evening at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino.

She was also the Down Syndrome Association of Delaware's 2017 Teacher of the Year.

Teaching in the Seaford School District, Bowe helped start a "Spread the Word-Respect" campaign, part of a national effort to discourage the use of the derogatory word "retard" and to promote acceptance, compassion, understanding, and inclusion of people with disabilities. This was important for the culture of the school, where some students had not before seen children walking in orthopedic braces, communicating with speech generated devices, or using assistive technologies, Bowe said.

"Sometimes it is difficult to see the initial impact of an initiative. Other times, although it is not blatantly obvious, there is a quiet victory: Students holding hands walking down the hallway; a child in a wheelchair tutoring other children in class; or a regular education student asking a child to be his partner even though they can communicate only through gestures, signs, or the use of a 'talker,' " Bowe said.

Bowe, who has been teaching for 17 years including five in her current position, shared stories in her application about students who made significant progress in her class.

"Children with special needs are capable of love, friendship, and academic achievement. We must encourage true inclusion with acceptance and kindness. We must see our children without labels and limitations," she said. "We must discover the greatness that is already inside them and share their greatness with others. We must teach all students."

Bowe will receive a $5,000 grant to use for the educational benefit of her students, as well as two personal grants totaling an additional $5,000. Bowe said she plans on using the stipend to bring awareness to children with disabilities, with initiatives like the Polar Bear Plunge, and the Special Olympics Unified Sports Team.

All of the other nominees will get a $2,000 grant from the state.