DURANT, Okla. (KTEN) -- Oklahoma's State Department of Education hosted its annual Teacher of the Year ceremony virtually on Thursday morning. 

There were 12 finalists, with a Durant educator in the group.

Natalie Haworth teaches science at Durant High School. She didn't win, but she was honored to be a finalist. 

"Obviously, everyone when they turn in their application they want to win, but it's crazy for me to think that I could be picked as a top 12 finalist, so I was very thankful, overwhelmed at first," Haworth said. "I'm just really thankful that I was able to get to know the other finalists and get to just kind of learn from them, too."

Haworth said her students were proud of her as well. 

"They were excited for me at the possibility of winning and hopeful, but I know that many of them were sad because it would've meant that I would've missed my third year opportunity of teaching them, and also their senior year if I won," Haworth said. "I'm very thankful that I had the opportunity and the chance, but I'm thankful that I'll be home next year."

Oklahoma's Teacher of the Year is Jessica Eschbach, an innovative learning coach at Norman Public Schools.