Vernal English instructor named Utah's top teacher

SALT LAKE CITY — A high school English instructor from Vernal has been named Utah's teacher of the year, an honor that involves meeting the president and a $10,000 prize.Aaryn Snow Birchell, of Uintah High School, was named the state's top teacher at a Friday banquet. But she wasn't the only Utah educator to win praise from Gov. Gary Herbert at the event.Robert "Ag" Nielson, 92, was the state's first teacher of the year 40 years ago. He's still working in the classroom after 63 years, he s