Photo by Miranda Pederson/Daily News Melissa Dillard of Lost River Elementary School accepts her award Thursday at the Save Our Kids Coalition’s 2009 Teacher Hero Banquet at Christ Episcopal Church.

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They don’t have capes or super powers, but some Warren County heroes were recognized Thursday night.

During the fifth annual Teacher Hero Banquet at Christ Episcopal Church, Eric Gregory, executive director of the Save Our Kids Coalition, said 83 teachers were nominated by their students to receive the recognition.

Gregory said the program has grown tremendously since it received 22 nominations its first year in 2004.

More than 130 letters were sent from city and county students to nominate their teachers, many of whom received more than one recommendation.

But at the end of the night, it was Melissa Dillard, a guidance counselor at Lost River Elementary School, who received a dozen pink roses in exchange for her heroic “super powers” that one student said greatly impacted his life.

Eleven-year-old Austin McElwain used his cell phone to take a picture of the teacher as she stood on the stage with her peers, carrying her roses and a surprised smile.

The fifth-grader told nearly 150 people, including Rep. Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, that part of his decision to say no to drugs involved not wanting to see Dillard be disappointed in him.

“In a decision like that, I would ask myself, ‘what would Ms. Dillard do?’ ” he said.

As he watched his teacher receive $500 for her classroom, Austin said he was glad he wrote the letter, even though it took a long time.

“I was really hoping it would be her,” he said. “Because every teacher has worked so hard with me and I really wanted her to win ... I think she’s one of the better teachers out of every school.”

Cheryl Smith, a fifth-grade teacher at Lost River, said she is glad to see Dillard win, but not surprised. Smith said she watches the guidance counselor come out each morning and greet every student, and said everyone is always excited about going to guidance class each week.

“It wouldn’t be Lost River if she wasn’t there,” Smith said. “I have never heard a child say anything but great things about her.”

Dillard, who has been teaching for 16 years, took the opportunity to recognize Austin when she accepted her award.

“He’s a great leader and I know any impact I made on him will reach other students because they will look to him when they are experimenting to see what he’s doing,” she said. “So I know any impact I’ve had on him will go far.”

Dillard said while she has been nominated for the award four times, actually receiving it was rewarding because it recognizes that she makes a difference.

“I see every child, every week,” she said. “I feel like I make a difference, maybe not in every child, every day, but in every day some child, and (the Hero award) is the icing on the cake.”

Gregory said the coalition had to narrow the 83 nominees to 13 - with one from each represented school - and then choose a finalist. The group showed a video featuring the photo of every nominee.

“This gives us the opportunity as a coalition to let them know they are appreciated and that the community is watching even the small things they do and we appreciate what you do,” he said.

The other finalists include:

Angie Slocum, Dishman-McGinnis Elementary School; Cindy Lewandowski, Briarwood Elementary School; LeAnn Fisher, Alvaton Elementary School; Lara Lim, Rich Pond Elementary School; Natalia Estes, Rockfield Elementary School; Tara Coomes, Bowling Green High School; Mary Ann Wolfram, St. Joseph School; Martha Ann Kirby, Potter Gray Elementary School; Jennifer Clark, Cumberland Trace Elementary School; Donna Hopkins, Oakland Elementary School; Tracy Norman, Warren Central High School; Sue Banister, Warren Elementary School; and Jamie Neal, Bowling Green Junior High School.