Long Islanders compete in LIVE's Top Teacher contest

Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan may be welcoming one, maybe even two Long Island educators to their talk show this spring.

Lynnette Carr-Hicks, a music teacher at Uniondale High School who directs the school’s award-winning show choir, and John Motchkavitz, a technology teacher and coach at Great Neck South High School, are semifinalists in LIVE’s Top Teacher contest.

Carr-Hicks and Motchkavitz are up against 10 other teachers from across the country, as each educator eyes online votes at http://livekellyandmichael.dadt.com/uncategorized/top-teacher/. Semifinal round voting closes at 5 p.m. Monday.

The top five will move onto the final round and will be invited to appear on LIVE with Kelly and Michael during the week of May 12, according to the show’s website.

The show asked viewers to nominate teachers that made a difference in either their own lives or their child’s. They had to send in letters describing the educator and his or her impact.

In one letter posted on the show’s website, Carr-Hicks is described by a student as being more than a teacher.

“She is our second mother, mentor, guide, mediator, and friend,” the student writes. “She selflessly puts her students before herself and her needs to make sure we have all the resources and experience needed to succeed.”

Motchkavitz, or “Motch,” the nickname he goes by at Great Neck South, was nominated by his colleagues at the school’s Business and Technology Department, which he heads.

In a letter written by business teacher Sheryl Burger, which is also on LIVE’s website, Burger describes him as the “backbone of Great Neck South High School.”

In addition to teaching technology classes, Motchkavitz oversees the school’s business club and robotics team, coaches lacrosse, builds sets for school plays, and four times a year, he brings students to New York City to distribute food, clothing and blankets to the homeless.

“There’s so many things he’s done as an individual and friend that goes above and beyond,” Burger said. “I really don’t think there are ‘Motches’ in every school.”

Burger said this is the second year she’s nominated Motchkavitz for this contest. He didn’t make the cut in 2013, so this time she beefed up her submission with more personal details, including nuggets such as that Motchkavitz is a 29-year Great Neck volunteer firefighter.

Motchkavitz said he didn't know his colleagues nominated him. He found out he was a semifinalist on Friday when he received a call from a parent of a former student, who had seen the announcement on that morning’s episode of LIVE.

Since then, he said the school has been buzzing with excitement, and students, staff, alumni and friends have been spreading the word to vote for him.

“It’s kind of cool that they are all rallying for me,” he said. “I try to give a lot to a lot of people and this makes me feel valued. It’s nice to know people care.”

Motchkavitz said he will tune in to Tuesday morning’s show to see if he is a finalist.

“Right now, this is awesome,” he said. ‘Everything else after this is gravy.”