SELAH -- Selah School District Superintendent Steve Chestnut is the new Washington State Superintendent of the Year.

The announcement was made Friday in Seattle at the annual superintendents' meeting of the Washington Association of School Administrators.

"It is humbling to receive this award from such a great organization," Chestnut said in a news release.

He served as superintendent at the Moses Lake School District for 12 years before taking the job as interim superintendent in the Selah School District in August. He's also served as the superintendent of the Dayton School District.

Friday, Chestnut was lauded for setting aggressive academic goals in Moses Lake, where he was also involved in state and national education associations as well as community activities.

He remains active in the following groups: American Association of School Administrators, North Central Washington Association of School Administrators, Employee Relations Negotiations Network, Kiwanis Club of Selah and Washington Association of School Administrators, or WASA, which presented the award.

The statewide professional association represents 1,600 members, including superintendents, administrators and principals.

Chestnut has a doctorate in education from Seattle University and a master's degree in education from Central Washington University. He's worked as a superintendent since 1991. He also serves an adjunct professor at both Eastern Washington and Heritage universities.

In February, Chestnut will represent Washington in the National Superintendent of the Year Program, sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators, ARAMARK Education and the ING Foundation.

The 2010 National Superintendent of the Year will be announced at the AASA National Conference on Education in Phoenix.

On the Web: www.wasa-oly.org.

* Adriana Janovich can be reached at 509-577-7653 or ajanovich@yakimaherald.com.