CARLSBAD -- Seats are still available for Friday's banquet hosted by the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce to honor local teachers and innovative programs, chamber officials said Monday.

This will be the eighth year for the banquet, which this year will honor 34 teachers for 20 programs at 19 schools that serve Carlsbad in four school districts, including Carlsbad and San Marcos Unified as well as Encinitas and San Dieguito Union.

Eileen Letts, the chamber's special events manager, said programs are selected by a chamber committee from among special activities often unfunded by cash-strapped district's created by teachers to help improve children's education, she said.

"These are programs teachers create themselves with their own resources," she said. "There are some really outstanding teachers out there."

Chamber board Chairman Jeff Segall said he encourages business people and others to treat their children's teachers to the banquet "as a way of thanking them for what they've done during the year."

Segall said this year he will be taking three teachers from Pacific Rim Elementary, which his son Robert attends, and Aviara Oaks Middle School where his daughter Kate goes to school.

"When they are losing (school) money from Sacramento, these teachers are coming up with enterprising ideas to continue delivering quality programs," he said. "(The banquet) sure beats giving them an apple at the end of the year."

Calavera Hills Elementary School Principal Devin Vodicka said Monday he finds the event inspiring just to watch.

"I would say these are the Academy Awards of teaching," he said. "It provides public recognition of outstanding efforts. I've been motivated by the dedication of the award winners. It's inspiring to hear their stories and find out about innovative programs at other schools."

Two programs and their teachers from Calavera Hills will be honored Friday. One involved a year-long partnership with some of the crew of the cruiser USS Lake Champlain. The crew visited the school to work with students. The second is a nature study and science program at the nearby Calavera Preserve.

Letts said a video of each program will be presented during the 6:30 p.m. banquet in the new ballroom of the La Costa Resort & Spa and that the teachers involved will be presented with grants provided through local corporate donors.

Donors are still being sought. Sponsors who contribute $350 will receive a dinner ticket and will have their names in the event program. Sponsors contributing $1,000 will receive two dinner tickets and will be introduced and honored that night.

Banquet tickets are $50 per person. Call Letts at (760) 931-8400.

Contact staff writer Tim Mayer at (760) 901-4043 or tmayer@nctimes.com.