In December 1997, the TxDLA community lost a dear friend and colleague, Dr. John A. Baker. A longtime champion for educational technology and distance learning, John served TxDLA as President-Elect at that time. In memory of John and in recognition of his lifetime commitment to excellence in teaching, TxDLA established the Annual John A. Baker Memorial Award. We hope that through this award, K-12 teachers will be recognized for their work in the distance learning arena and will be given more opportunities to reach students through the use of educational telecommunications and distance learning technologies. Any K-12 teacher working in public, private, or charter school settings in Texas is eligible and will receive $500 cash, complimentary registration to the Annual Meeting/Conference and Awards Dinner, and complimentary TxDLA membership for the year.