Celebrating Excellence in Education
May 2024
To see highlights from the May 7, 2024 event- click the video link:
Click on the image above to access the video
2024 Honorees
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Mario Abundez
Delano Joint Union High School District | Valley High School | Continuation School Teacher: 9-12 grades
Mario Abundez is a physical education teacher who brings a unique ability to teach valuable life lessons through engaging activities that foster teamwork, resilience, and personal growth. Despite initially aspiring to be a police officer, Abundez found his true calling in education, where he can positively impact the community by inspiring students in the classroom and serving as a role model for health, leadership, and following one's dreams.
Mario Abundez has demonstrated many of the qualities and skills that describe an exemplary teacher. He has the unique ability to turn a P.E. class into a platform for learning valuable life lessons, implementing engaging and inclusive activities that cater to diverse student abilities and fostering a positive attitude towards physical fitness. Through creative and engaging activities, he provides not only physical but also mental and emotional challenges that foster resilience and leadership. Mr. Abundez consistently emphasizes teamwork, sportsmanship, and personal growth, creating an environment where students not only develop physical skills but also learn essential life skills. He uses his past life experiences to share wisdom with students to inspire and motivate them to make better decisions and work towards making their dreams a reality. His consistent enthusiasm, effective communication, and a commitment to students’ overall well-being characterizes his exemplary teaching approach.
Mario Abundez has been teaching for nearly 9 years in the Delano Joint Union High School District. As a Delano High School Tiger alumnus, he takes great pride in the opportunity to give back to the community that helped raise him to become a responsible, honest, and dedicated man to have the knowledge and skills to come back and serve as an example for our youth. As the Physical Education teacher at Valley High School, Mr. Abundez is spreading his passion for overall health and wellness across our school campus. He shared, “I love teaching our students. It doesn’t feel like work when you love what you do.”
Mr. Abundez was born and raised in Delano. He attended Junior College in Bakersfield. There he studied and played college football and eventually transferred over to Fort Hays State University in Kansas where he pursued his bachelor’s degree and continued to play football.
An interesting fact about Mario is that he never intended to become a teacher. Throughout his childhood and college journey, he had his mindset on becoming a police officer in the City of Delano. He shared that he recalls a lot of gang activity and violence in our community and wanted to be a part of the solution to make our city safer for all families. However, when Mr. Abundez applied for a police officer position right after he graduated from college, he learned that the application process could take longer than two months. This did not sit well with Mr. Abundez. He was determined to work…not just to make some money, but more so to do something fulfilling where he could make a positive difference in Delano and the surrounding communities. Mr. Abundez shared that one of his former teachers, and at the time, a high school principal, convinced him to try serving as substitute teacher in the Delano Joint Union High School District until he hears back from the Delano Police Department. His love for teaching was born. Mr. Abundez quickly realized that he could make an impact in the community by reaching families through the classroom. In his words, “Catching the kid in class, rather than chasing him/her on the streets.” Mr. Abundez realized choosing education over law enforcement was the best decision for him, when one of his first students wrote to him, sharing that Mr. Abundez was his inspiration to become a first-generation college graduate.
A teacher of the year should exhibit exceptional leadership qualities both inside and outside the classroom. Inside, Mr. Abundez demonstrates effective classroom management, fosters a positive learning environment, and engages students with innovative teaching methods that gets our Valley students excited about physical education. It is important to note that most of the students at Valley High School have completed their PE credits. However, most, if not all students request to have P.E. on their schedules because they enjoy the camaraderie and friendly competition in Mr. Abundez’s classes. Anyone who visits his classroom will find ALL students engaged in physical activity with a smile on their faces.
Outside of the classroom, Mr. Abundez collaborates with colleagues, contributes to school initiatives, and displays a commitment to setting a positive example in our Delano community. He takes the time to encourage his colleagues to live a healthy lifestyle through healthy eating, regular exercise, and a positive mindset.
Using education to shape lives is now, and always will be, Mr. Abundez’s passion.
Veranda Aguilar
Kern High School District | Mira Monte High School | Spanish and APEX Teacher
Ms. Aguilar has been teaching at Mira Monte since 2013 and this was her first teaching job. She has taught Spanish 1,2, 3 Honors, and APEX, so she works with all four grades. She has been teaching SPAN B1 (Bakersfield College) as a Dual Enrollment class sine 2019.She also teaches for the Migrant Credit Recovery Academy for the Kern High School District since 2021.
Ms. Aguilar is such a humble educator. She gets along with everyone including her students. She serves a very versatile role on our campus. She is a Spanish teacher, teaching Spanish 1 but also teaches our Dual Enrollment Spanish 3 class to our upper class students. Ms. Aguilar also began facilitating APEX, credit recovery classes years ago afterschool and in summer school. She does such a great job motivating the unmotivated students, and as a result, has helped many students meet graduation requirements in order to earn their diploma. Ms. Aguilar is regarded as being someone who is helpful but very "behind the scenes" meaning she does not get a lot of praise for her efforts and all the hard work she does. She has taken on APEX during the day in addition to teaching her Spanish classes. This has helped provide credit recovery options to students during the school day to assist more students getting back on track to graduate. This is a huge need for our campus, and she sees the need and meets it. We so much appreciate her efforts.
She is exemplary at what she does! She serves the students in the humblest yet honorable way. She is a strong Spanish teacher and most valuable APEX Coordinator. She has made graduation possible for so many students. Ms. Aguilar is valued and appreciated at Mira Monte.
Alicia Arriola
Bakersfield City School District | Ruth Clark Harding Elementary | 2nd Grade
Ms. Alicia Arriola is an exemplary educator and the Harding Elementary Teacher Of The Year Nominee. She is an exceptional individual who possesses the qualities of an innovating and student-centered teacher.
Ms. Arriola is a dedicated teacher and passionate about her craft. She embodies the life-long learner creed and is always exploring various innovative teaching methodologies and pedagogical approaches. Alicia never settles for the status quo and is always eager to find new and creative ways to engage her students in the learning process. Her relentless pursuit of education innovation is imbued in her classroom, leading to curiosity abound by her students.
Alicia is a change agent for good. The urgency for improving the education of East Bakersfield students is the catalyst for our success. She has taken the initiative to understand the unique challenges faced by students in this community and has actively worked towards creating a more inclusive and supportive environment. She has been instrumental in organizing and leading new learning for her peers. Ms. Arriola consistently goes above and beyond for our Harding Chargers.
Alicia Arriola has exemplified steadfast commitment as a KUTR (Kern Urban Teacher Residency) mentor over the past three years. Having mentored six individuals, all of whom are currently teaching in the district, Alicia's impact on the professional development of her mentees is undeniable. Her enduring dedication extends beyond the initial mentorship period, as she continues to provide support and guidance to those who reach out for her expertise. Alicia's role as a mentor in the Kern Urban Teacher Residency program not only highlights her exceptional teaching abilities but also underscores her commitment to fostering a community of skilled and passionate educators within the district.
Alicia Arriola is an accomplished educator with an impressive 16-year teaching tenure, during which she has exhibited unparalleled dedication to her profession. Serving as a mentor, Alicia's commitment extends beyond the classroom as she actively participates in the district teacher advisory committee, focusing on Technology, English, and Math. For the past eight years, Alicia has been a distinguished presenter at the summer institute, showcasing her expertise and innovative teaching methods. As a team lead, she immerses herself in school culture and community events, leading the accelerated reader committee and consistently creating engaging lessons with high rigor, making her a standout figure in the field of education.
Alicia Arriola stands out as an experienced and dedicated teacher, particularly showcasing her unwavering commitment during the challenges posed by the pandemic. As an invaluable resource for BCSD, Alicia took the initiative to create teacher support materials tailored to the unique demands of remote learning. Her contributions extended beyond the conventional, as she produced instructional videos, guiding fellow educators on navigating the intricacies of Zoom and effectively teaching reading in an online environment. Alicia's proactive approach reflects not only her adaptability but also her commitment to fostering a collaborative and supportive teaching community. Her Google certification and proficiency in computer science further underline her dedication to staying at the forefront of educational technology, making her a true asset in navigating the evolving landscape of modern teaching methodologies.
Jennifer Aufforth
Wasco Union High School District | English Teacher/Academic Coach
Mrs. Jennifer Aufforth has been an exemplary teacher at Wasco High School for nearly twenty years. During her tenure, she has emerged as one of the leaders on campus in areas ranging from student academics and school spirit to curriculum development and teacher training. She is beloved by her students and respected by her colleagues. She works tirelessly as a teacher and club advisor. It is common knowledge that she is usually one of the first to arrive and last to leave campus.
Mrs. Aufforth engages her students in hands-on learning activities which are both creative and memorable. It is common for her students to recall specific lessons years later, which is one of the highest forms of praise a teacher can receive. She is known to dress in character to help stimulate curiosity in the topic of study. Her students characterize her as funny, engaging and knowledgeable, caring about them, not only academically, but personally as well.
Mrs. Aufforth has served as a leader in the English Department in several different ways. In years past she has served as both the Department Chairperson as well as a representative on the School Leadership Team. She currently serves as Academic Coach where she supports the various department and school-wide initiatives aimed at improving student engagement and achievement. She has been a member of the team that oversees a professional training program called the “Wasco Way” which provides an opportunity for staff new to Wasco High School to learn about the unique culture of the school as well as the expectations and demands of the job.
Mrs. Aufforth also helped lead the way in revolutionizing the English Department PDs by making them engaging, fun, and practical. Her spirit is contagious. She is encouraging and supportive. She asks questions and is an advocate for her department, other colleagues, and her students. She possesses the unique blend of straightforward honesty mixed with compassion and sensitivity which makes her such a valuable asset to Wasco High School. She is a worthy recipient of this year's honor of being selected as Teacher of the Year.
Mrs. Jennifer Aufforth has been an exemplary teacher at Wasco High School for nearly twenty years. During her tenure, she has emerged as one of the leaders on campus in areas ranging from student academics and school spirit to curriculum development and teacher training. She is beloved by her students and respected by her colleagues. She works tirelessly as a teacher and club advisor. It is common knowledge that she is usually one of the first to arrive and last to leave campus.
Mrs. Aufforth has served as a leader in the English Department in several different ways. In years past she has served as both the Department Chairperson as well as a representative on the School Leadership Team. She currently serves as Academic Coach where she supports the various department and school-wide initiatives aimed at improving student engagement and achievement. She has been a member of the team that oversees a professional training program called the “Wasco Way” which provides an opportunity for staff new to Wasco High School to learn about the unique culture of the school as well as the expectations and demands of the job.
Ariana Balink
Panama-Buena Vista School District | Christa McAuliffe Elementary School | 5th grade
Mrs. Balink possesses all qualities and skills that make an exemplary teacher. She operates from a passion to see every child succeed, both academically and social-emotionally. She works tirelessly. Her biggest strength is her ability to build rapport and relationships with students, staff and families. Any student assigned to her room leaves knowing they are loved and valued. She is an advocate, a team-player, compassionate, creative and a warrior in the education of ALL students! She ensures their experience is well-rounded and she truly seeks to develop the whole child.Mrs. Balink possesses all qualities and skills that make an exemplary teacher. She operates from a passion to see every child succeed, both academically and social-emotionally. She works tirelessly. She plans lessons with her team based on data and student need. She differentiates instruction and provides scaffolds to ensure all students have access to the grade level standards. She partners with special education classes to give our special needs students opportunities to thrive in a general education setting, while at the same time, teaching her students compassion, empathy and how to give generously to those underserved. Her biggest strength is her ability to build rapport and relationships with students, staff and families. Any student assigned to her room leaves knowing they are loved and valued. She is a master at integrating social-emotional learning into daily lessons. She advocated for her students and that they have every experience to help them become well-rounded citizens. She is continually seeking resources, raising funds and connecting with the community to enhance her students' experience. All this said, she coaches our volleyball and track teams, oral language festival, guides our school's STEAM fair and helps to direct our school's drama production. Mrs. Balink is her grade level's lead. She prepares and leads team meetings each week, first checking in and encouraging the team for their hard work. She leads them in the analysis of data and the development of instructional plans, and plans to provide intervention and extension lessons, as needed. In addition to this, she leads or is a partner in our STEAM Team, PBIS Team, Inclusion Team and our Instructional Leadership Team. Our staff looks to her as a leader and considers her a safe place to share needs as she is an advocate, not only for students, but for staff as well. She has volunteered hours to collaborate with colleagues to build and sustain a healthy culture on our school campus.
Teresa (Rita) Banks
Delano Joint Union High School District | Delano High School | Security Services | 37 years
Rita Banks is an exemplary campus security officer who consistently demonstrates excellence in her work performance. She goes above and beyond her duties to ensure the safety and well-being of the students, faculty, and staff. Ms. Banks is known for her exceptional ability to connect with students, building strong and positive relationships that contribute to a safe and welcoming campus environment. Additionally, she serves as a leader within her department, providing guidance and support to her colleagues. Ms. Banks’ dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence make her a valuable asset to the campus community. She rarely misses a day of work and can always be counted on to be in position and in direct communication with administrators regarding the safety and security of the campus.
Rita Banks is not only an outstanding campus security officer but also a highly engaged member of the school and local community. In addition to her role in campus security, Ms. Banks serves as a basketball and track coach, demonstrating her commitment to supporting students both in and out of the classroom. Through her coaching roles, she has made a positive impact on the lives of many students, helping them develop skills, build confidence, and achieve their goals. Ms. Banks’ involvement in school and community activities showcases her dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all. Ms. Banks’ tenure at DHS spans over 30 years, and her impact is deeply ingrained in the school's fabric. At every school event, community members eagerly seek out Ms. Banks recounting fond memories and stories from their high school days that invariably include her. Ms. Banks’ presence serves as a testament to her enduring influence and the lasting connections she has forged within the community.
Rita Banks exemplifies excellence in leadership and commitment in all aspects of her work. As a campus security officer, she leads by example, demonstrating a strong work ethic, professionalism, and dedication to the safety and well-being of the school community. Ms. Banks’ ability to go above and beyond her duties, make meaningful connections with students, and serve as a leader within her department highlights her commitment to excellence. Additionally, her role as a basketball and track coach further showcases her leadership skills and dedication to supporting students both academically and athletically. Ms. Banks’ unwavering commitment to her work and her role as a leader make her a highly respected and valued member of the school community.
Ms. Banks garners strong local support, notably from administration, which includes the principal, assistant principals, learning director, and district administration. This underscores her reputation as a respected and valued member of the DHS community. With over 30 years of service, Ms. Banks’ impact extends far beyond the school walls, as parents and community members continue to fondly recall their time at DHS, often reminiscing about their experiences with Ms. Banks. Her enduring presence in their memories speaks volumes about the positive influence she has had on countless individuals over the years.
Rita Banks has demonstrated excellence in enhancement through her dedicated service to Delano High for over 30 years. Throughout her tenure, she has continually sought out ways to improve the school community and enhance the overall experience for students, faculty, and staff. Ms. Banks’ commitment to going above and beyond in her role as a campus security officer, as well as her involvement as a basketball and track coach, has greatly enriched the school environment. Her ability to connect with students, provide leadership within her department, and actively contribute to school and community activities exemplifies her commitment to enhancing the school's culture and ensuring a positive and inclusive atmosphere for all. Ms. Banks’ longstanding service and dedication to Delano High are a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence.
Rita Banks is continuously appreciated at Delano High, where she has served for over 30 years. As a campus security officer, Ms. Banks goes above and beyond, ensuring the safety and well-being of the school community. Her leadership within the department is evident, as she guides her newer colleagues with professionalism and dedication. Ms. Banks’ role extends beyond security, as she also coaches basketball and track, demonstrating her commitment to enhancing students' lives both in and out of the classroom.
In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Ms. Banks excels in building relationships with staff, students, parents, administrators, and community members. Her positive attitude is infectious, creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all. Ms. Banks’ ability to connect with others is a testament to her dedication to the school community, as she consistently goes the extra mile to support and uplift those around her. Her 30 years of service are a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence and her invaluable contributions to Delano High.
Karen Bastain
Kern High School District | Golden Valley High School | English
Mrs. Balink possesses all qualities and skills that make an exemplary teacher. She operates from a passion to see every child succeed, both academically and social-emotionally. She works tirelessly. Her biggest strength is her ability to build rapport and relationships with students, staff and families. Any student assigned to her room leaves knowing they are loved and valued. She is an advocate, a team-player, compassionate, creative and a warrior in the education of ALL students! She ensures their experience is well-rounded and she truly seeks to develop the whole child.Mrs. Balink possesses all qualities and skills that make an exemplary teacher. She operates from a passion to see every child succeed, both academically and social-emotionally. She works tirelessly. She plans lessons with her team based on data and student need. She differentiates instruction and provides scaffolds to ensure all students have access to the grade level standards. She partners with special education classes to give our special needs students opportunities to thrive in a general education setting, while at the same time, teaching her students compassion, empathy and how to give generously to those underserved. Her biggest strength is her ability to build rapport and relationships with students, staff and families. Any student assigned to her room leaves knowing they are loved and valued. She is a master at integrating social-emotional learning into daily lessons. She advocated for her students and that they have every experience to help them become well-rounded citizens. She is continually seeking resources, raising funds and connecting with the community to enhance her students' experience. All this said, she coaches our volleyball and track teams, oral language festival, guides our school's STEAM fair and helps to direct our school's drama production. Mrs. Balink is her grade level's lead. She prepares and leads team meetings each week, first checking in and encouraging the team for their hard work. She leads them in the analysis of data and the development of instructional plans, and plans to provide intervention and extension lessons, as needed. In addition to this, she leads or is a partner in our STEAM Team, PBIS Team, Inclusion Team and our Instructional Leadership Team. Our staff looks to her as a leader and considers her a safe place to share needs as she is an advocate, not only for students, but for staff as well. She has volunteered hours to collaborate with colleagues to build and sustain a healthy culture on our school campus.
We give her our most needy children and they leave her room transformed. She has a gift!
Received the CAC Award, 2023, for Outstanding General Education Teacher of the Year for her integration and advocacy of our special education students on campus.
Steve Beardsley
Kern High School District | Bakersfield Adult School | Adult School GED teacher day and evening
Mr. Beardsley has taught at Lerdo, in the Jail Ed. program and now teaches adults (day and evenings) to earn their GED. His unwavering commitment to his students is exemplified by his dedication to get each and every student to pass the four exams which encompass the GED. The adult students all come with varying educational levels and ages. Some students study for years to pass each of the four exams. Each test has a cost to the student in order to register and take the exam. Mr. Beardsley individualizes his instruction to meet each student at their educational level. His class sizes are large, especially in the evenings.
Mr. Beardsley, served in the Army, active duty, as a Medic. He is a caring individual and a natural teacher. Before becoming a teacher, he was a Golf Pro for 17 years. He has an incredible work ethic and sense of dedication to his students.
Aaron Blize
Bakersfield City School District | Sierra Middle School| Resource Specialist 6-8th grades | Primarily History and English Language Arts.
Mr. Blize is very organized, self-driven, dedicated, reliable, consistent, supportive, kind, and knowledgeable in his craft. He works well with all types of people and develops strong, positive relationships with his students, their parents, and school colleagues. He is able to deescalate difficult conversations and situations with his calm approach to problems. He advocates for all students regardless of disability, ability, or circumstance and continues to support inclusivity and equity schoolwide in his interactions and instructional practices.Aaron Blize has dedicated his long career to advocating for Special Education students. He works tirelessly to plan engaging lessons for his students and supports all students regardless of ability or disability in the inclusion classes. Aaron has an amazing ability to build relationships with students, parents, and staff. He is highly respected on campus and at the district level.
To support all students every morning before school starts, Aaron opens his classroom 30 minutes before the morning bell for students to have a safe, warm, and inviting place to go when they first enter campus. Every child needs at least one caring adult on campus and Mr. Blize is often identified by students as the staff member they can go to when they need support.
Aaron works very closely with Administration, general education teachers, and school/district Special Education staff to ensure all student IEPs are completed properly and on time. He collaborates with all teachers who support Special Education students to make sure they know what accommodations our children need and how best to support them in being successful.
Aaron has been a mentor teacher for BCSD New Teacher Support for over 20 years. He has guided and taught many new special education teachers on how to write and execute student IEP’s as well as navigate the always changing political and educational climate of this work. Mr. Blize also supports Special Education teachers on campus, modeling how to conduct IEP meetings, deliver instruction, and communicate effectively with parents. He has an amazing rapport with parents and helps educate them on how to navigate the world of public education with having a student identified with specific learning disabilities. Outside of the classroom, Aaron engages in numerous school extracurricular activities annually. He will BBQ for our students each year during the end of year 8th grade picnic, volunteer his time to help coordinate student activities and support in any way possible. Aaron is one of the most reliable, compassionate and considerate educators I have encountered in my 30 plus years in public education.
Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award - 2009
Excellence Award - 2018
Excellence Award for Collaboration - 2022
Mentor teacher for 20+ years.
"Program Specialist" for Special Education over the summer for the last 20 years
Special Education Department Chair for multiple years.
Leadership team for multiple years.
Antonio Boschini
Fairfax School District | Fairfax Junior High School | 7-8 Grade Language Arts
Mr. Boschini has been with the Fairfax School District for 16 years. He is currently an ELA teacher at Fairfax junior high and teaches language arts class and advanced language arts classes. As mentor teacher he provides an academic rich environment for student teachers to thrive as they learn the skill of teaching.Mr. Boschini is an exemplary teacher on the junior high site due to his level of professionalism and instructional abilities in the classroom. His classroom environment is conducive to learning for all of the students and he thrives on an environment where students are engaged and learning as a group. He works with small groups in order to work with students who are struggling and need more one-to-one assistance. Mr. Boschini is passionate about his job as a teacher and ii shows with the respect he has from his colleagues and students who enjoy going to his class.
Cory Brackett
Mr. Cory Brackett consistently demonstrates professionalism, strong content knowledge, and ability to help students become the best they can be both in the classroom and in our community. He is not only an excellent teacher but committed to an equitable education for all students. Often he shares that you must activate the hearts and minds of our students to ensure that learning takes place and that students see the value of the content that you are teaching.Mr. Cory Brackett consistently demonstrates professionalism, strong content knowledge, and ability to help students become the best they can be both in the classroom and in our community. He is not only an excellent teacher but committed to an equitable education for all students. Often he shares that you must activate the hearts and minds of our students to ensure that learning takes place and that students see the value of the content that you are teaching. As a science teacher, he opens new doors for students and ties the content to real life applications and future careers. He believes his role as a teacher is to facilitate his students' learning as they discover the answers themselves and values hands-on experiments and group work. He encourages students to ask questions and be curious. He also believes in building student leadership through his efforts with Link Crew and promoting positive school culture with staff and students. He models our core values of Focus, Honor and Success and he is a great example to all within his department and across campus. He continues to focus on student learning outcomes through his efforts within his dept/PLT including being a PLT leader. It has been an absolute pleasure having Mr. Brackett on our campus.
Mr. Brackett was one of the key players to contribute with establishing our PLTW pathway-BioMed to introduce our students to the world of science and medicine. He has his Master's degree plus 30 or more semester units. 12 years of education services; 9 years with KHSD.
Rhonda Burke
Standard Elementary School District | Wingland Elementary School | 4th Grade
Rhonda Burke is the epitome of a great teacher. Rhonda is wonderful with students, staff and parents. She takes charge and dives into projects that help our school and district.
Rhonda Burke is an outstanding educator and person. She is amazing every year, but this year she had 3 new teachers join her grade level. She has worked hard to make them feel welcome. She is also on many committees (School Site Council & PTA) for the school and helps with UDL. She is always available to help other teachers and has trained in many different academic areas. She has a big heart for others. Rhonda has been involved with Wingland for over 11 years and this is her 8th year as a teacher.
Rhonda's professional activities and accomplishments outside the classroom include Teacher Mentor, DAC, Parent Volunteer, Dyslexia Training, UDL Trainer of Trainers, Explore Volleyball and Soccer Referee, School Site Council Secretary, PTA President and Parliamentarian.
Alan Button
Kern County Superintendent of Schools | Transportation Services
Alan came to the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office (KCSOS) in 2016 from the private sector; currently he is one of three Lead Mechanics in our department. Alan knew very little about working in school services or servicing school buses, but he was willing and eager to roll-up his sleeves to learn the school bus industry.
Starting out as a service worker, Alan quickly climbed the latter to a Mechanic and eventually a lead mechanic running his own crew on the night shift. During his on-boarding and promotion, Alan focused a lot on self-study to learn the school bus industry as well as getting his ASC Certification as a School Bus Technician. Alan has
since moved to the day shift and works closely with our shop foremen assisting other mechanics on the floor and making repairs to our school buses. In addition, he assists the fleet manager is clerical communications within the organization and the multiple
districts we serve. Communication is key in Alan’s position, and he ensures that all stakeholders involved receive the necessary information needed when an issue or concern arises. Alan stays
in constant communication with the Fleet Manager when he worked the evening shift by sending detailed emails to the morning team so important issues can be addressed in a timely manner.
Alan is a people pleaser and no matter what he has in front of him he will make time fora driver that seeks him out to assist with an issue they identified on their school bus.
Alan is very active on the floor ensuring that everyone he works with is in communication with the team and has the necessary components to complete the job.Often times, other districts in our county will call our Vehicle Maintenance shop and ask for guidance in certain issues or concerns and Alan will not hesitate to head their direction to assist with anything they need. Alan is customer focused and believes that
everyone that needs our assistance is a customer and should receive individualized attention; anything less than 100% is not acceptable.
Alan has proven that his talent doesn’t end with mechanical knowledge. He recently gave a tour of our vehicle maintenance facility for a private school’s field trip to a school bus yard. The students and parents really responded to him as he described the safety aspects of school buses, how they operate and what his role is for our division. In
addition, he has extended a helping hand with our training department by assisting our instructors in making undercarriage and vehicle components training videos to assist with training new school bus drivers. He also assisted in preparing a training video to
assist original and renewal drivers to better understand the importance of an inspection of the dual air braking system.
In short, Alan is an exceptional employee. He is always here and ready to serve, has a great sense of humor and always puts others first. Alan is a team player and encourages others to work in the same way. Pleasing others and ensuring their needs are met is Alans modus operandi (M.O.).
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Jose Castro
Kern High School District | Liberty High School | Math
Mr. Castro is a teacher leader whose passion for math education is second to none. As an original staff member at Liberty high school, he is completing his 25th year teaching in Kern High and his 30th year teaching overall. His classes are structured, engaging, rigorous, and supportive. As the AP Calculus teacher, he not only prepares students to pass the AP exam but also to succeed in their college level math classes after leaving Liberty High School.
Mr. Castro has demonstrated his passion for math education for 30 years. He has taught AP Calculus for 23 years. During this time 98% of his students passed the AP test, with over 1,000 students, or 73% earning a “5”, the top score possible. His time and dedication to teaching is not only evident in these results but also the hundreds of students who return from college to express their appreciation for how his classes prepared them for the rigorous math classes at the next level.
Tony Cervantes
Kern County Superintendent of Schools | Warehouse/Delivery Worker
Tony is an exemplary employee who demonstrates professionalism every day. He has been an integral part of the warehouse team for over 30 years, leading by example in providing top-notch customer service and maintaining an outstanding safety record in his forklift operations. Tony's dedication to work is evident through his impressive attendance record, having accumulated over 1200 hours of sick time.
In our experience working behind the scenes with maintenance and operations, Tony has consistently gone above and beyond to help schools and districts in need. During the pandemic, Tony worked long hours to ensure that schools had the necessary PPE and materials to keep students safe and continue learning, even if it meant putting his health at risk. He starts work promptly at 6 am every morning and is always dedicated to giving his best.
Tony has always been excellent in providing support for community projects beyond his work responsibilities. Whenever our departments hold events to give back to kids or caretakers, Tony is always the first to offer his expertise and assistance in planning and managing the logistics of these events. He has helped in numerous drive-up giveaways by creating a map of the route and setting up stations where each car can drive up and receive its items without leaving the vehicle. Tony has always been exceptional when it comes to community service.
Ann Chiarini
Tehachapi Unified School District | Tehachapi Independent Learning Academy |TK, K, 1st grades- blended learning.
Mrs. Chiarini serves as a TILA TK, K, and first grade teacher. She is an excellent teacher who makes each of her students feel like they are an important part of our TILA family. Mrs. Chiarini spends countless hours preparing engaging lessons. She creates fun language arts, math, science and art lessons each week for both her classic and blended students. When you walk into Mrs. Chirarini's classroom, besides an amazingly decorated classroom, you will see engaged students working in small groups, discussing stories, working on math problems, and working on science experiments. During enrichment Fridays, Mrs. Chiarini's class creates amazing art projects and sometimes plays musical instruments. Her students enjoy learning!Honors students, fun, hardworking, meets every student's needs, creative, dedicated to the profession, engaging, reflective, instructional strategy guru, supportive and so much more
Maria Cortez
Edison School District | Orangewood Elementary | 3rd grade
Mrs. Cortez is dynamic, dedicated and passionate about education. Her commitment to her students' growth and success is a testament to the impact she has in the classroom and beyond. Mrs. Cortez's innovative teaching strategies and tireless advocacy for student needs have not only elevated academic achievement but also nurtured a love of learning. As a beacon of inspiration and a true champion of education, Mrs. Cortez embodies the qualities and values we celebrate in Teacher of the Year.
Mrs. Cortez's colleagues describe her as determined, strategic, trusted, skilled, and caring. Mrs. Cortez has high expectations for behavior and academics. Co-workers know that students who go to her class for tutoring or RTI will show an increase in proficiency.
GLAD trained and models lessons for other teachers.
Nora Cortez
Kern High School District | South High School | Bilingual Instructional Assistant
Nora has been a Bilingual Instructional assistant for 24 years, and throughout her tenure, she has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication and skill in her role. At South High School, she has provided invaluable assistance to hundreds of students across various subjects, including history, math, and science.
One of Nora's notable strengths is her self-motivation in instructing English Language Learners in subjects taught in English. She approaches her work with enthusiasm and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by these students. With her guidance and support, multiple students have successfully met the graduation requirements for the Kern High School District, earning their diplomas.
Furthermore, Nora's attendance record throughout her career has been impeccable. She recognizes the importance of her position and how it directly impacts the students she serves. Her consistent presence ensures that students receive the support they need to thrive academically.
Nora's dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to student success make her an invaluable asset to South High School. She is highly deserving of recognition for her contributions to the educational community.
Nora's dedication to both the school and broader community is exemplary. Her involvement spans across various programs on campus and beyond, showcasing her commitment to supporting students and families.
Nora is actively engaged with Kern High's Charter School, specifically with the Work Force program. In this role, she provides invaluable Bilingual Instructional Assistance to English Language Learner (ELL) Junior and Senior students who are working to make up credits necessary for graduation. Nora's support in this capacity directly contributes to students' academic success and their ability to obtain a diploma.
Beyond her role at the Work Force program, Nora extends her assistance to parents within the community by providing translation services. Her bilingual fluency enables her to bridge communication gaps and address questions related to various campus and student life matters.
Nora's involvement extends to several campus groups, including PBIS, WASC, truancy, and state testing. Her contributions to these groups demonstrate her commitment to enhancing the overall school environment and ensuring compliance with educational standards.
Moreover, Nora's dedication to literacy and education is evident through her role as a reading tutor for multiple districts in the county. Her efforts in this regard positively impact students' academic development and literacy skills, further underscoring her commitment to the community's educational advancement.
Nora's extensive involvement in both school and community initiatives showcases her unwavering dedication to supporting students' academic success and overall well-being. Her contributions are invaluable and greatly enrich the educational experience for all involved.
Nora's commitment to the students at South High extends over multiple years, leaving a lasting impact on numerous generations of students who have passed through the school's halls. Her dedication to excellence has been a cornerstone of her service, enriching the educational experience of countless individuals.
As a mentor, Nora plays a pivotal role in guiding and nurturing multiple assistants who have shadowed her to learn the essential responsibilities of a Bilingual Instructional Assistant. Through her patient guidance and expertise, she imparts invaluable knowledge and skills, ensuring that her successors are well-prepared to support English Language Learners and uphold the high standards set by the institution.
Nora's exemplary traits of punctuality, attendance, dependability, reliability, and initiative are widely recognized and deeply appreciated by teachers. Her consistent presence and unwavering commitment to her role provide a sense of stability and reliability that greatly benefits both students and staff alike. Teachers value Nora's dedication, knowing that they can rely on her to consistently deliver excellence in her duties.
Nora Cortez's contributions to South High School extend far beyond her job description, embodying the spirit of dedication and service that is essential for fostering a thriving educational environment. Her legacy as a mentor and role model will continue to inspire and uplift future generations of students and educators alike.
Mr. Richard Giese, Retired South High Science Instructor 1967-2008
"Ms. Cortez is a special person that stirred in me immense respect for her as a credit to the profession. Most of my instruction centered around South High’s MS Cube instruction but I also instructed in General Biology classes and that is where I became associated with the skills of Ms. Cortez. Her title being, BIA, was evident in working with ESL students. I, as an instructor, did not possess that skill set. She filled that classroom void. Ms. Cortez was always appropriately dressed, knew her place in the classroom environment, and addressed student’s needs.
In view of Ms. Cortez’s personal traits, care of her profession, and outstanding personality; I highly recommend her for the title, “Classified Employee of the Year."
Mr. John Salazar, teacher, South High
"I have met no better instructional assistant or heard of one better than Ms. Cortez. She is more than a classified staff member at South High, she is an essential part of our daily goal of helping and educating students."
Ms. Cortez is an exemplary colleague. She is always punctual, ready, and willing to help not just the students but also the teachers. She is beyond intelligent, friendly, thoughtful, and caring. She is passionate about helping students and what is best for them as well. Students absolutely adore her and respect her just as much. She looks out for our populations in need, helping not only our EL population but also working after school in tutoring and in workforce. She is so good at teaching that when students ask me for help with math work, I rather refer them to her because of how well she teaches and helps them out.
Audrey Craig
Lakeside Union School District Kindergarten | Donald E. Suburu School Kindergarten
Audrey is a fantastic teacher that goes above and beyond in all that she does. She is always willing to serve on committees and mentor new teachers. She has outstanding character and is not only an excellent teacher and colleague but friend. She loves her students and strives to meet their needs academically and emotionally. She serves as a grade level leader and mentor and is committed to the success of all of her students. Possesses an outstanding work ethic.
Maranda Cuevas
Panama-Buena Vista Union School District | Earl Warren Junior High School | 8th Grade- English Language Arts
Maranda is empathetic, hard working, innovative and understanding.
Maranda is an exceptional teacher, dedicated to supporting all her students and inspiring a love for reading in her students. Her empathetic and understanding character creates an environment that is welcoming and conducive to student learning. Additionally, Maranda goes beyond her duties to offer students various avenues to explore their passion for writing. Her dedication extends outside the classroom, by opening her classroom during lunch to give students a safe space and creating activities on campus to increase school culture.Maranda is one of our 8th grade teachers who teaches English Language Arts, Creative Communication and Creative Writing. She demonstrates exemplary qualities and skills as a teacher through her dedication in helping our struggling readers and igniting a passion for reading and writing among students. Maranda creates a welcoming classroom environment where students feel encouraged to participate and learn from their mistakes. In addition to her core teaching responsibilities, she offers two electives—creative communication and writing—In addition to her core teaching responsibilities, she offers two electives—creative communication and writing—to help students develop essential skills in expression, creativity, and effective written communication. Additionally, Maranda demonstrates exemplary qualities and skills as a teacher through her collaborative work with our school staff to improve school culture. She has contributed innovative ideas to the school that have significantly increased student culture and fostered a sense of belonging, such as implementing "Wildcat of the Week." This program highlights both a standout student and a staff member each week, celebrating their achievements and contributions to the school community. She has led many other initiatives on our campus.
Maranda also hosts "Tranquility Thursdays," providing students with a safe and welcoming space to relax and socialize during lunchtime. This initiative creates a calming environment where students can unwind, connect with peers, and recharge, contributing to their overall well-being and sense of belonging within the school community.
It is an honor to have Mrs. Cuevas teach on our campus. I know students feel valued and respected in her classroom. Our staff appreciates her positive presence and the activities that she has planned for our campus.
Blair Davenport
Panama-Buena Vista Union School District | Stonecreek Junior High School | 7th Grade English Language Arts
Blair is the type of leader who gets in the trenches and gets the work done. As Department Lead for her grade level, Blair is responsible for developing the 7th grade English Language Arts program. During weekly collaboration, she guides her team through the backwards mapping of standards, analysis of state rigor, development of common assessments and identification of high leverage strategies. When Blair guides her team, talk is always student-centered and solution oriented. In addition to instructional support, Blair also cultivates a strong sense of team unity. She constantly checks in with her team to ensure they are feeling successful and confident. When needed, Blair will develop strategies to make the work easier for others, removing any barriers that may impede the work needed to support student achievement. Blair is honest, vulnerable, and real while holding steadfast to the hard work that must be done to support our students and improve our school. At the site level, Blair’s solution oriented thinking helps drive positive action.
Blair is the definition of exceptional. In the classroom, she provides top-notch language arts instruction for all levels of students. In her Honors classes, Blair is able to push student thinking with her use of questioning and collaborative activities. In her Support classes, Blair is a model teacher for guided reading, meeting with small groups daily and targeting literacy skills. In all classes, Blair promotes and teaches executive functioning skills, showing students how to organize and communicate for life long success. In her homeroom class, she teaches Social Emotional Learning skills daily and encourages a sense of unity and pride. Additionally, Blair is able to make connections with all students and build relationships. Blair sets high standards for her students and they meet them. Anytime guests are on campus, Blair’s room is always selected for observation, due to the high quality instruction occurring regularly.
As a colleague, Blair is adored by teammates. Serving as the department lead, she is the perfect example of a “warm demander.” She supports, encourages, and scaffolds for adult learners while still maintaining a high professional standard. When colleagues are confused or need guidance, Blair is quick to step in and offer clarity or training. When needed, she develops systems others can follow to simplify processes. It is not uncommon for her to make a video to support a colleague in completing a task. Blair also serves as an induction mentor and supports new teachers as they learn their craft. She meets with her candidates weekly to support lesson planning and reflection. At a site level, Blair serves on our leadership team.
She is highly respected by all staff. When teams get bogged down, Blair is quick to refocus the group and guide the team towards solutions. Additionally, she provides training for staff in a variety of areas, building capacity in technology, small group instruction and more. When working with the Leadership team, Blair is first to volunteer to model a strategy or skill. She is fearless and willing to fail forward to help others learn.
23/24: PBVUSD Educator Learning Summit Professional Development Provider 22/23: PBVUSD Professional Development Provider (Weekend PD)
21/24: Induction Mentor
21/24: Master Teacher
21/14: ELA Expert Teams
Blair has received 2 Donor's Choose Grants this year.
Christina Davis
Kern High School District | West High School | English
Christina Davis works tirelessly for the students at West High School. She balances two full time jobs as a professional learning team leader and mentor teacher in the English Department with the role of Activities Director on campus. Ms. Davis engages students, values student-centered leadership, and has increased the student investment in activities across campus. She has taught Journalism and English at all grade and placement levels. Ms. Davis is a role model for students and exemplar member of the West High Viking Family. Ms. Davis is hard-working, positive, creative, self-less, intelligent, motivating, kind, a mentor, and a person of integrity. She is an excellent English teacher with the ability to reach students at all levels. Ms. Davis is in her first year as Activities Director on top of four periods (of six) of teaching and is excellent at organizing and planning. She has increased the involvement of students in activities and student engagement at West High School and has plans for next year to enhance link crew and bring back journalism in addition to what she already does.
Ms. Davis has two Masters Degrees both in Education and English with a focus on argument and rhetoric. She is a member of CATE.
Maghan England
Kern High School District | Kern Valley High School | Agriculture Science
Maghan England has demonstrated the skill and determination to provide the best learning experience possible for students. As the Science Department Chair and de factor leader of FFA, she makes everyone feel important and is great at delegating and leading both students and adults. Her efforts, supported by an immense number of hours, help our students excel in local, regional, and state competitions while having a significant positive impact on our school and the communities we serve.With a positive energy and contagious smile, Maghan England's superpower is to motivate everyone around her. She truly cares for her students and takes the initiative to ensure learning at the highest levels. Respected school wide, she makes leadership look easy and her peers go to her for guidance.
Cynthia Escobar
Kern High School District | Frontier High School | 9-12 English/Library Science
Cynthia Escobar exemplifies excellence in teaching in the Kern High School District, Kern County, and the state of California. She characterizes all the qualities and values that are necessary to model distinction in the teaching profession. In her current role of teacher/librarian, Cynthia is committed to both teaching and learning. She has found balance in teaching her classes of Library Science while providing an amazing learning environment for the school. Cynthia has a clear and engaging communication style that fosters a positive environment that benefits not only her students but the entire school. She displays a wealth of knowledge while possessing an ability to communicate extremely effectively with students and adults. As a “team player”, she collaborates to create a dynamic and positive school culture surrounding literacy. Her collaboration efforts have also had an impact on integrating diverse perspectives into the curriculum, general literacy skills across all content areas, and helped incorporate innovative technologies on campus. Cynthia expresses passion for assisting in the academic development of her students as well as the entire campus. She is committed to promoting literacy campus-wide. Her work with facilitating the STAR Test (3 times per year campuswide literacy assessment) and reviewing results with staff and students has made such an impact on Literacy awareness. She also works to instill a love for reading and has created an inclusive library atmosphere in our Quest Center (library). Her real strengths focus not only on communication, but preparation and organizational skills. She has spearheaded evidence-based decision-making to curate diverse collections therefore increasing literacy across campus. I have been impressed with her ability to effectively connect with the overachieving students for learning but more importantly she is able to make connections with the reluctant and challenging student as well. Her proficient and creative use of technology, is often the hook she offers to students, is integrated throughout her teaching and learning areas. She has created newsletters around the Quest Center and Literacy that reflect her forward-thinking mindset. She has designed programs and displays that foster cultural awareness and inclusivity. Cynthia is community minded as well. She has a passion for helping and supporting our community’s migrant population. She has served as a College Going Academy teacher for the KHSD Migrant Education Program as well as a Summer Programs teacher at UCSB for KCSOS Migrant Education. It is obvious that her commitment to family, profession, and community are the leading priorities in her life. This is demonstrated by the quality of time, effort, persistence, and sincerity that she devotes to each, and which sets her apart from others. I believe Cynthia is deserving of the nomination and strong consideration for Kern County Teacher of the Year.
Lynn Eyherabide
Norris School District | William B. Bimat Elementary | 1st Grade
Mrs. Eyherabide has made an incredible impact in her students', families', and coworkers' lives. She is an inspiration and leader on campus. Kind, understanding, thoughtful, hard working, encouraging, compassionate, and dedicated are just a few qualities that make her a wonderful teacher. Mrs. Eyherabide's lessons, sayings, and ways of teaching have institutionalized regular teaching methods and techniques in our district. And…. if you listen closely, you just might hear her lovely voice singing the songs of reminders, academic tricks, and procedures.
Mrs. Eyherabide has tirelessly served 35 years in the Norris School District. With her exceptional character and work ethic, she has impacted the lives of many students and their families. Through her hard work and dedication, Mrs. Eyherabide has been an intricate part of the Norris School District. She shows strength in classroom management, forming positive connections with all parties, and modifying curriculum to meet the needs of her students.
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Jennifer Fankhauser
Kernville Union School District |Woodrow Wallace Elementary School | 3rd Grade
Ms. Fankhauser completed her 8th year in the Kernville Union School District. She has taught 3rd and 8th grades at both the elementary and middle school levels. Ms. Fankhauser approaches teaching from a student-centered perspective. She understands the need to reach her students' hearts before she reaches their minds.
Ms. Fankauser is a teacher who deeply cares about her students. She understands you have to reach her kids' hearts before she can reach their minds. Ms. Fankhauser is calm even with the most challenging students.
Rosalie Fuentes
Kern High School District |East Bakersfield High School | Teacher/ Librarian
Rosalie Fuentes is a collaborative and thoughtful leader in her role as teacher librarian. She is energetic and excited to share her passion for learning with both students and staff.
Rosalie Fuentes has fostered a thriving library program at East. She works with other teachers to create and teach lessons for our students about digital literacy and information technology. Rosalie has created a vibrant learning space which is full at all times throughout the day- a safe space for students to be themselves. Her impact extends far beyond the library walls as she influences students to have a love for lifelong learning.
Rosalie has been a presenter at the BCSD Summer Institute and the CA School Librarian Association. She currently leads the school wide Literacy Committee, striving to support teachers in using high leverage literacy strategies.
Martha Garcia
Lamont Elementary School District | Myrtle Avenue School |Utility Worker
Martha's journey as a utility worker at Myrtle Avenue School exemplifies the embodiment of skills and trades services. Her dedication and commitment to maintaining the school grounds clean and ensuring the safety of students and staff showcase her proficiency in her trade. Martha's work ethic goes beyond mere obligation; she takes pride in her responsibilities, which is evident in her punctuality, as she arrives at least 30 minutes early every day. This punctuality reflects her dedication and her reliability, which are essential traits in any skilled trade profession.
Moreover, Martha's effective communication with all staff and supervisors further enhances her skills in her role. Clear communication is crucial in ensuring tasks are carried out efficiently, and safety protocols are followed
diligently. Beyond her professional attributes, Martha's appreciation for Spanish music, particularly Los Temerarios, reflects her cultural pride and adds a personal dimension to her character. Her connection to her community of Lamont strengthens her sense of belonging and fuels her commitment to serving her school excellently. In essence, Martha's journey showcases how skills trade services, dedication, punctuality, effective communication, and cultural pride contribute to the smooth functioning and success of institutions like Myrtle Avenue School.
Martha's recognition as the Employee of the Year is a testament to her exceptional dedication within the school and the broader community. Her commitment extends far beyond her regular duties as a utility worker at Myrtle Avenue School. Martha's active involvement in volunteering for various school functions and community events displays her selflessness and dedication to the well-being of others. Whether ensuring smooth operations during school functions or evening events, Martha goes above and beyond to contribute positively to the school and the community.
Martha's willingness to give her time and effort and her humble attitude set her apart. Martha doesn't seek recognition or expect anything in return despite her significant contributions. Her actions are driven by a genuine desire to serve and make a difference in the lives of those around her. Martha's embodiment of altruism and dedication to service inspires her colleagues and the community,
making her a deserving recipient of the Employee of the Year award. In honoring Martha, the school acknowledges her invaluable contributions and the importance of selfless service in fostering a thriving and supportive community.
Martha's leadership shines through her meticulous organization and dedication to her duties at Myrtle Avenue School. Martha exemplifies the importance of accountability and time management in effective leadership by diligently writing down her daily tasks and ensuring their completion. Her commitment to excellence is further underscored by her willingness to come in early to finish any incomplete tasks, demonstrating her proactive approach to problem-solving and her determination to uphold high standards in her work.
Moreover, Martha's leadership extends beyond her responsibilities as a utility worker. Her colleagues and peers look up to her for guidance and support, recognizing her as a reliable and knowledgeable resource. Martha's habit of keeping her radio on and playing music from beloved artists like Los Temerarios and Los Bukis while attending maintenance tasks on non-student days underscores her dedication to her work and adds a touch of warmth and familiarity to the school environment. Through her actions, Martha fosters a sense of camaraderie and cohesion among the staff, showcasing how effective leadership encompasses competence, empathy, and inclusivity.
Demonstrations of Excellence - Local Support
Martha's dedication extends beyond the walls of Myrtle Avenue School. She actively supports all schools in Lamont and engages in community events. Whether it's morning events like Walk to School, the Christmas Parade, the Harvest Festival, the Oral Language Festival, or school concerts, Martha is there, contributing her time and effort to ensure the success of these events. Her involvement demonstrates her commitment to the broader educational community and highlights her passion for fostering positive experiences for students and families across Lamont.
Despite her busy schedule, Martha also makes time to support her father, who resides in Tehachapi. Her ability to balance her personal commitments with her professional and community responsibilities showcases her resilience and compassion. Moreover, Martha's ability to maintain positive working relationships with her colleagues and friends at work reflects her interpersonal skills and her ability to foster a supportive and cohesive environment. In essence, Martha's multifaceted contributions not only enrich the educational landscape of Lamont but also embody the spirit of community and service that defines her character.
Martha Garcia is a beloved figure in her community, known for her unwavering dedication and passion for her work. Her interactions with students, parents, colleagues, and community members are characterized by warmth and sincerity, reflecting her genuine commitment to their well-being. Martha's enthusiasm for supporting student success and her active involvement in various community initiatives highlight her deep-rooted desire to make a positive difference in the lives of those around her. Her tireless efforts to uplift and empower others make her an exemplary candidate for recognition, embodying the values of dedication, compassion, and service integral to building a thriving community.
Martha's impact extends far beyond the confines of her workplace, resonating throughout the local community. Her genuine care and enthusiasm for community involvement create ripple effects that inspire others to join in the collective effort toward positive change. Whether through her support for student endeavors or participation in community events, Martha's presence fosters a sense of unity and empowerment. Her recognition as a deserving candidate is a testament to her invaluable contributions. It serves as a beacon of inspiration for others to follow in her footsteps, nurturing a culture of kindness, collaboration, and progress within the community.
Sherry Gonzalez
Lamont Elementary School District |Family Advocate
Sherry Gonzalez is an outstanding professional who always goes above and beyond to ensure that our families have the support that they need to help their children succeed. Sherry is able to quickly and effectively build rapport with families so that they trust her to help and support them. She identifies the key areas for support with families and is able to help them set and meet goals toward creating a stable home for their child to succeed by leveraging community resources to help them with these. She has outstanding communication skills with school staff and helps them to ensure that they understand the issues with the family and can support the child appropriately and work with the family to help them meet the child’s needs. She is a respected member of the community collaborative and is seen as a resource by both school and community partners alike. Over the nine years she has been working with our district, she has personally helped hundreds of families reach stability for their family, and likely thousands of children have the home and supports that they need to be successful. Sherry is truly able to help create a meaningful partnership between families and schools, helping them all work together for the success of the child, and she is a tremendous asset for our families, district, and community.
As a member of our Family Resource & Learning Department, Sherry works nearly constantly to support the school and community directly. She is involved with a variety of community events such as our Health and Resource Fair, OneSight Vision Clinic, Backpack and School Supply Giveaway, Operation School Bell Uniform Distribution and Uniform Exchange, Harvest Festival, Operation Gobble Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway, Toys for Tots, and many others. She is always cheerful, helpful, friendly, and welcoming at each of these as she works to ensure that our families most in need benefit from these services and programs to help them and their family. She also always goes above and beyond to make sure that these programs not only succeed, but are truly excellent for our families, schools, and community, looking for additional resources or opportunities to expand and increase the resources available to our community to support our schools and community. Sherry is a true conduit in building the partnership between our schools and community, to support everyone coming together to foster the success of our children and families.
Sherry is seen as a trusted leader by her peers within her department, as well as our schools, and community. She is extremely knowledgeable of practices and techniques of family support services, and is seen as a source of support and a model by other staff who look up to her for advice and guidance. School staff see her as a professional partner and source of support, and will reach out to her for her input and perspective with families and students in working toward their success. Community partners will often reach out to her directly for support connecting families to services and school resources, and for her perspective and knowledge about available resources and programs, or tactics to use to increase family stability. Her commitment is obvious to all who work with her, as she takes on the most challenging family situations, and will persevere with supports and connections to help them until they are stable enough to ensure that their child can be successful. Sherry’s leadership and commitment are unparalleled, supporting our families, schools, and communities in being centered on the needs and success of all of our children.
Sherry was selected by a vote of her peers for this honor, because of their recognition of her value to our families, school, and community, as well as her excellence in all that she does. When staff assignments for Family Advocates were being reconfigured among school sites, there were multiple teachers, office staff, and even principals who reached out to ask if Sherry could be assigned to her site. Staff within the department share that she is the most supportive and knowledgeable member of our staff, and that her guidance is invaluable and helps the entire department excel. Families will request her services, even those who are not at her assigned school site, and consider her advice and “consejos” to be highly valued and unquestioned. When her selection was announced, there were dozens of staff members who approached me to let me know how much they felt that this honor was deserved because of her absolute and unwavering dedication to our families and students. As one of them shared with me, “Sherry is the best of our district, a true example of how Lamont understands the importance of our families and real partners in helping our children achieve the success they deserve.”
Kristie Grubb
Muroc Joint Unified School District |William A. Bailey Elementary School | 2nd GradeKristie Grubb is an inspiring teacher who transforms the classroom into a learning wonderland. She ignites the passion for learning in young minds with innovative approaches.
Kristie is an exceptional teacher who is a cherished colleague, always ready to lend a hand and share incredible teaching strategies. Their collaborative spirit enriches the entire school community, fostering an environment where colleagues feel supported and inspired. With a treasure trove of innovative ideas, she elevates not only her own teaching but also that of their fellow educators, making them a valuable asset to the school team.
She exemplifies being a 21st century teacher who implements progressive teaching strategies, up-to-date digital tools, and still maintains a classic rapport with her students that helps lead them to success. She is also a top colleague by organizing staff events to build morale and teamwork, while also providing help to all teachers in the district on tech use.
Ubaldo “Junior” Guzman
Kern High School District | Vista Continuation High School | Social Studies
Mr. Guzman because is always helping students to learn in a fashion that allows them to be open and willing to learn, and he is very supportive of their social and emotional needs throughout the year!!
Ubaldo Guzman has been working for the Kern High School District for the past 3 years. His teaching assignment is Social Studies for our junior and senior students. Mr. Guzman is always willing to assist any student with extra help in any subject. His classroom door is always open during lunch for students to have a place to hangout and to eat their lunch. He is caring and thoughtful towards our student population. Ubaldo is greatly respected on our campus.
Ubaldo is our E-Sport adviser here at Vista and has grown our E-sports to a respectable level. He encourages our students to participate and to have fun. He has taken them to competition where Vista students are appreciated and represent us well.
Daniel Hernandez
Bakersfield City School District | Paul L. Cato Middle School | 6/7/8 Music: Band, Orchestra & Choir
Mr. Hernandez is an absolutely phenomenal educator with a passion for his craft and for helping to push students to succeed. He has taught everything from Band, to Orchestra and Choir. He has a unique way of connecting with students by not only pushing them and growing their talents, but by making them feel comfortable and relaxed with his never ending sense of humor. I have not often seen the balance of someone that can get such unmatched results with such a gentle and warm approach as Daniel. With the exception of one Orchestra Superior ranking, Mr. Hernandez has managed to bring home "Unanimous Superior," the highest possible ranking at ratings festival, rankings for every group that he has led here at Cato Middle School, a feat unmatched by any of his colleagues. In addition to being a wonderful educator, Mr. Hernandez is also a wonderfully talented, practicing musician, who continues to perform in some of the most prestigious events. Mr. Hernandez is a current member of the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, The Beale Park Band, Bakersfield Winds Ensemble, marched in the 2022 Rose Parade in Pasadena, and just this last year, marched in the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Daniel was featured on both BCSD News and local news stations in anticipation of his trip to New York. Mr. Hernandez is the true definition of an incredibly talented educator that continues to work each day on perfecting his craft and ensuring that he provides his students with the best possible musical education that he can provide. He would make an outstanding teacher of the year.
Mr. Hernandez is not only a wonderful educator, but an incredible human being. I cannot think of anyone that doesn't enjoy being around him, doesn't enjoy laughing with him and his incredible sense of humor, or feel inspired by his unbelievable talents. He is a loving father, a dedicated husband, and someone our students infinitely respect and look up to. He exemplifies all of the qualities of a true teacher of the year.
-Currently performs in the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, Beale Park Band, and Bakersfield Winds Ensemble
-Has received Unanimous Superior Ratings at Bakersfield City School District Ratings Festival since 2015
-Received the Kern County Music Educators Association Elementary Music Specialist Award in 2014
-Named the Cato Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2016
-Was a member of the Elementary Music Teachers that received a Golden Bell Award for recruitment during "Music in Our Schools Week."
-Named Kern County Music Educators Association Orchestra Director of the Year in 2018.
-Marched in the 2022 Rose Parade in Pasadena.
-Marched in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Amy Hoffman
McFarland Unified School District |McFarland High School Early College | Art
Meet Ms. Amy Hoffman, a passionate and dedicated art teacher at McFarland High School Early College. With an infectious love for art, Amy's innovative teaching methods and expertise across various forms inspire students to explore their creativity. Her adaptability, community engagement, and role as a mentor make her a catalyst for positive change, leaving an enduring legacy of creativity, passion, and self-discovery in the school community.
Ms. Amy Hoffman, an exceptional art teacher at McFarland High School Early College, is an embodiment of passion and dedication in the realm of art education. Her vibrant and innovative approach to teaching has left an indelible mark on both her students and the school community.
Amy's passion for art is contagious, and it radiates in her dynamic teaching methods. With an impressive breadth of expertise across various art forms, she not only imparts knowledge but also instills a deep appreciation for creativity in her students. Whether it's exploring painting techniques, delving into sculpture, or experimenting with digital media, Amy ensures that each student receives a comprehensive and enriching art education.
What sets Amy apart is her unwavering commitment to adaptability. Recognizing the diverse learning styles within her classroom, she tailors her teaching methods to meet the unique needs of each student. This adaptability creates an inclusive and supportive environment where every student feels empowered to express themselves artistically.
Beyond the classroom, Amy is deeply involved in community art projects and events. Her commitment to the broader cultural enrichment of the school and local community is commendable. Amy is not just a teacher; she is a catalyst for positive change, inspiring students to not only excel academically but also to discover the profound impact of art on their lives.
In essence, Ms. Amy Hoffman is not just an art teacher; she is a mentor, an inspirer, and a driving force behind the flourishing art community at McFarland High School Early College. Her positive impact on students extends far beyond the classroom, leaving an enduring legacy of creativity, passion, and self-discovery.
In addition to her exceptional teaching skills, Ms. Amy Hoffman is renowned for transforming school hallways into vibrant galleries, showcasing the artistic talents of her students. Actively participating in community art events, she extends her impact beyond the classroom, fostering a connection between students and the wider community. Furthermore, as the department chair, Amy demonstrates leadership and a commitment to advancing the art education curriculum, solidifying her role as a pivotal figure in the school's artistic community.
Stephanie Holladay
Bakersfield City School District | Cesar Chavez Elementary School | Transitional Kindergarten
Stephanie Holladay stands out as an exemplary educator, dedicated to fostering a safe and warm environment within “The Hive,” her uniquely named classroom. Through her tireless efforts, she has transformed the traditional classroom into a family atmosphere, likening her students to a busy hive of bees. Upon entering, visitors are greeted with a chorus of welcoming voices, as the students proudly declare, “Welcome to our hive.”
One of Mrs. Holladay’s commendable qualities lies in her effective communication and collaboration with parents. Recognizing the crucial role parental involvement plays in a child’s success, she goes above and beyond to ensure a strong partnership. By keeping parents informed and involved, she creates a supportive network that contributes to the overall well-being and academic achievement of her students.
In her commitment to personalized education, Mrs. Holladay stands out by creating individualized plans for students who require additional support. This tailored approach reflects her dedication to addressing the unique needs of each student, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive academically and personally.
Beyond the academic realm, Mrs. Holladay injects creativity into her teaching methods. Throughout the year, she orchestrates fun and engaging activities that captivate her students’ attention and spark excitement. For instance, during the Christmas season, students delved into lessons about kindness and its transformative power. This culminated in a heartwarming visit from the Grinch, who, having learned the importance of love, distributed gifts to the class, leaving a lasting impression on her students.
In essence, Mrs. Stephanie Holladay’s exceptional qualities encompass her unwavering dedication to creating a welcoming and supportive environment, her effective collaboration with parents, her commitment to personalized education, and her ability to infuse joy and engagement into the learning experience. Her innovative and caring approach makes her a true standout in the field of education.
For the past 11 years, Mrs. Holladay has dedicated herself to perfecting the art of teaching. Whether instructing transitional kindergarteners or 2nd graders, she consistently stands out for her commitment to excellence. Mrs. Holladay is highly innovative, always seeking creative ways to engage her students and make learning a dynamic experience. With exceptionally high expectations for all her students, she fosters an environment where each individual is encouraged to reach their full potential. Beyond academics, Mrs. Holladay is known for efficiently working with students on developing crucial social skills, creating a well-rounded educational experience.
Mrs. Holladay stands out as an exceptional educator, embodying dedication to her craft. Her commitment to fostering a positive and enriching learning environment is truly commendable. While deserving of all accolades and awards available in the teaching profession, Mrs. Holladay’s focus remains on her students. It is this genuine dedication to their growth and well-being that makes her truly deserving of recognition. Her impact extends beyond the classroom, shaping the future of those fortunate enough to be under her guidance. Mrs. Holladay’s selfless commitment to her students elevates her as a remarkable educator, showcasing the true essence of what makes a teacher extraordinary.
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Michele Johnson
Maricopa Unified School District |Maricopa Elementary School | 5th Grade
Maricopa is proud to introduce Ms. Michele Johnson as our certificated teacher of the year. Ms. Johnson's qualities as a human being make her a fantastic teacher. She is calm reasonable, and always focused on the best outcomes for her students. She is a quiet leader. She is always at school and ready for the day. She is able to disarm any student who is having a bad day and helps to refocus and provide a calming tone to all.
She is a quiet leader who is respected by her peers and loved by her students. She creates a calm and stable environment in her classroom that the students respond to. She is well deserving of this recognition. Uniquely, she has now been recognized at a Teacher of the Year in 2 states- California and Texas.
Lisa Krch
Kern High School District | Career Technical Education Center (CTEC) | Video Production
Lisa Krch Olson exemplifies what it means to be an exemplary career technical education teacher. She works tirelessly to provide amazing opportunities for her students that will prepare them for success in both college and career.Lisa is an amazing teacher who is passionate about her subject matter and the success of her students. She has an amazing work ethic and goes above and beyond every day to create opportunities for her students. She brings her years of industry experience into the classroom everyday in addition to having a positive attitude no matter how difficult a situation is. She has also done an amazing job getting her students involved in community projects and is a wonderful representative of our school.
Shannon Lasater
Kern High School District | South High School | Math
Shannon Lasater is a dedicated math educator with 12 years of experience. Shannon's commitment to student success is unwavering, as she tirelessly adapts her teaching methods to meet individual needs. Believing in every student's potential, she goes above and beyond, even offering support beyond school hours. Shannon's compassion, dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence have left a profound impact on both students and colleagues at South. She embodies the values of exceptional education and serves as an inspiring role model within the school community.Over the years, Shannon has been willing to take on any challenge. She was the first teacher at South High to pilot co-teaching in math, years before the model became common in the Kern High School District. She is known for being innovative with her strategies, and she is able to work with any type of student. Her current schedule is proof of her talent. Whether she is teaching AP Stats or a co-taught integrated math class, you will find her students engaged and enjoying the lesson. Her patience and compassion are legendary. Her lessons are creative and well-designed, and students have to work very hard to fail a class. Student learning is the focus and her role as a teacher is central for her mindset.
Every aspect of her classroom displays evidence of her passion for learning and her own growth mindset. In addition to being a fabulous teacher, Shannon is also the very humble. She is always striving for new and better ways to support her students. Her unique combination of skill, talent, patience, and self-reflection make her one of South High’s finest and wisest educators.
Ms. Lasater's humility went beyond merely being nominated and selected as Teacher of the Year. She was insistent that someone else should receive the recognition.
Michael Leishman
Kern High School District | Highland High School | Agricultural Education
Michael Leishman is a remarkable teacher who firmly believes in building a strong foundation for lifelong learning. With a conviction that understanding is best derived from action, this educator advocates a "learn by doing" approach, emphasizing the importance of practical application and hands-on experiences. His four-pronged educational philosophy includes engaging classroom instruction, relevant outside-of-class experiences tailored to students' career goals, the development of interactive communication skills, and fostering meaningful connections with students. Recognizing the impact of motivation on learning, Leishman understands that a connected, invested student is more likely to succeed, making teaching not just a profession but a deeply rewarding experience.Michael Leishman has a passion for teaching and is genuinely passionate about his subject matter and the learning process. You would never know that Michael Leishman dropped out of high school his senior year. He attended Bakersfield College while completing his high school diploma at Bakersfield Adult School. This is what drives his passion for teaching-- especially those who are unmotivated or disengaged. This passion is infectious and helps him create a positive and engaging learning environment.
A student who is hooked, invested, or motivated will learn more than a student who is not, regardless of the instructional strategy used. He has found that having connections with students increases the student and family involvement while bolstering our Ag program. Students perform better when a teacher has spent time to foster relationships with them. This concept is one that Michael has mastered as he completes home visits with all of our freshman agriculture students.
Michael is a skilled communicator, able to convey complex ideas in a clear and understandable manner. This includes both verbal and non-verbal communication, fostering open and effective dialogue with students, parents, and colleagues. He is flexible and adaptable, recognizing that every student is unique. He has a deep and thorough understanding of the subject matter. Exemplary teachers continually update and expand their knowledge to stay current in their field and provide students with accurate and relevant information. His classroom is filled with outside the box learning experiences, yet his strong classroom management skills create a disciplined yet comfortable learning environment. Consistent rules and expectations help maintain a positive and productive atmosphere. Michael demonstrates empathy, builds positive relationships, and provide emotional support when necessary. He tries to incorporate innovative and creative teaching methods to keep lessons engaging and relevant. Using technology, hands-on activities, and real-world examples helps capture students' interest and enhances the learning experience. Michael demonstrates leadership within the school community, taking on roles such as mentorship, curriculum development, or participation in school-wide initiatives. He has an understanding and respecting the diverse backgrounds of students is essential and creates inclusive and culturally responsive classrooms that celebrates diversity. Teaching can be challenging, and Michael exhibits patience and persistence. He understands that students may learn at different paces and are committed to helping each student succeed. Michael engages in reflective practice, regularly evaluating and adjusting his teaching methods based on feedback, self-assessment, and the evolving needs of his students. Combining these qualities and skills contributes to the holistic development of students and establishes Michael as an exemplary teacher as his impactful contribution to our community is immense.
Michael has been awarded the CATA outstanding new teacher award, was part of an "Outstanding 3 person Ag Department" for the past 5 years. He has a Master's from CAL POLY SLO and graduated with honors.
Eduardo Lopez
Kern High School District | Arvin High School | Mathematics
Mr. Lopez has taught Mathematics at Arvin High for the past 8 years. During that time, he has become an asset to the Arvin High staff and students sharing his expertise with building positive learning spaces for his students and expertise with educational technologies. What makes Mr. Lopez stand out above the rest is his willingness to serve his peers and has become very proficient in providing a challenging and engaging instructional program for his students.
Mr. Lopez teaches Honors Statistics (Dual Enrolled), Algebra 1P and 2 periods as an Instructional Coach. Mr. Lopez has a unique way of reaching struggling students with his loving and fatherly way of engaging all who are under his care. He is a gifted teacher and has the ability to reach all levels of students with his unique “Out of the Box” style of designing lessons and engaging students. Students in his classroom quickly learn and are drawn to his creative, relaxed and engaging style of facilitating. In addition to being an outstanding teacher with all levels of learners, it is Mr. Lopez command of educational technologies that has peers seeking his expertise almost daily. Through the distance learning era, Mr. Lopez served on Arvin High’s Resource teacher team where he led the charge on facilitating technology workshops for our staff helping get them acclimated to our brave new frontier of distance learning. Many struggled at first but with patience, persistence, and his expertise, we were able to begin educating students in this new realm.
As Instructional Coach, Mr. Lopez works closely with teachers guiding them through an Impact Cycle of evidence-based teaching pedagogy, student engagement practices, reflection, and the role of feedback. A focus on community building within the classroom is key emphasizing teaching strategies that foster a positive learning space for all learners. Through this process as instructional coach, Mr. Lopez challenges and helps our teaching staff grow in their instructional practice, as well as refine their teaching tool kit to enhance student learning and engagement. Mr. Lopez exemplifies all the qualities that Principals look for in teacher leaders. He commits his time to quality instruction, provides powerful teaching strategies to peers, and delivers instruction that reaches far beyond mere content acquisition. He is the teacher we all want our own children to experience. Mr. Lopez encourages a love for learning among students and nurtures a passion for teaching among peers. I strongly recommend Mr. Lopez without any reservation and hope the selection committee understands how this young man has devoted himself to his students, his colleagues, and the entire Arvin Community.
Christie Marcks
Greenfield Union School District | W.A. Kendrick Elementary | 4th Grade
It is an understatement to say Mrs. Marcks is hard-working and committed to working with students. As a Kendrick fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Marcks understands the most important lesson we can teach students...to love learning. Mrs. Marcks is truly beloved by her students.Mrs. Marcks is a model of dedication and service to fellow staff, students, and families. She is always working to support and grow the positive culture that Kendrick is known for.
Kendrick Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), Advisor for the Kendrick Student Council, plans activities for the Red Ribbon Week and Halloween Parade, and leads the Kendrick Kindness Challenge.
Ryan Merkle
Kern County Superintendent of Schools | Erwin Owen High School | Special Education
Ryan began his career with Alternative Education over eight years ago and has been working as a special education teacher at Erwin Owen High School since 2019. Ryan ensures that his students’ IEP plans are implemented with full fidelity. He works with probation staff, mental health agencies, and colleagues to support his students academically and social-emotionally. Ryan is an advocate for the inclusion learning model in an effort to support all students, including those with disabilities.
Ryan has embraced Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Project Based Learning (PBL) instructional practices and is known for expanding on PBL lessons with field trips related to the environment. Students have taken their learning outside the classroom walls with nature hikes, fishing expeditions, and trips to the beach. Ryan is regularly featured on the Kern County Probation Department’s social media pages for leading these adventures, many of which take place on the weekend on Ryan’s own time.
With the addition of a greenhouse at Camp Owen, Ryan spearheaded the incorporation of science in agriculture and connected lessons to the garden-to-table food being grown. When the CTE program purchased Flex Farm hydroponic growing units, Ryan was first in line to learn how to use this resource with students. Under Ryan’s guidance, students produced large crops of lettuce and herbs, which were shared with the probation kitchen. In addition, Ryan has repeatedly secured funds donated by the Wonderful Company to add to the resources available to students at Camp Owen.
While the classroom is inviting, Merkle’s vision to provide educational opportunities for the youth outside of the classroom, using the surrounding National Forest, is where he sets himself apart from any teacher in the state. The Camp Outdoor Education Project (COEP) was developed from Merkle’s vision to provide educational opportunities and school credits outside the classroom. An incentive-based program, centered on community service and education, COEP allows the youth to experience the world from a different perspective while earning school credits outside the traditional classroom. Essentially, we pick a field trip destination, Merkle writes a lesson plan, and then we take the camp youth on an educational field trip centered around hiking. Trips have included: Trail of 100 Giants (Giant Sequoia Grove), Needles Lookout, The Seven Teacups, Dome Rock, San Simeon State Beach, the Fresno Zoo, Salmon Creek Falls, Cannell Meadow Trail, Big Meadow, Packsaddle Cave, and Lake Isabella Peak. (See attachment for pictures) The youth have also experienced river rafting and fly fishing. Additionally, a major part of COEP is teaching the Camp youth about community service and servitude. Therefore, Merkle and the youth frequently spend time before school assisting the local community through the following acts: cleaning local campgrounds along the Kern River and Lake Isabella (about 4k lbs. of trach per year), assisting the cemetery with grounds work and putting up flags on holidays, assisting at monthly food distribution events for the needy, helping the local Elks Lodge, helping the local Native American Museum, assisting the Rotary Club, and painting fire hydrants for the fire department to name just a few.
Daisy Nugent
Rosedale Union School District | American Elementary | 3rd grade
Daisy is one of the hardest working teachers on our campus, and that is saying something. She is constantly looking for ways to improve her craft. She gives of herself, unconditionally to our students. She invites not only her own students in for extra help, but her door is open to all. She goes above and beyond to support our English Learners.
The saying still waters run deep is definitely true of this teacher. She is quiet, and does not call attention to herself but she is always working. She always has a good attitude, and is ALWAYS willing to help. Her kind spirit is an example to all.
She recently completed the Bilingual Authorization BILA and is BASP certified.
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Orquidea Ocampo
Buttonwillow Union School District| Buttonwillow School | 1st Grade
Orquedia Ocampos welcomes challenges and takes them head-on. She has a strong belief in acquiring new skills and improving regularly. She has a positive attitude towards her students and the families she works with throughout the year. She’s always engaging her students in the learning process and makes sure they are prepared for 2nd grade. Orquedia is dedicated to Buttonwillow School and offers help after school to students who struggle in math and reading. She is a creative and dedicated teacher as well. Both qualities were evident during the Fall Farm Festival when 1st grade won a prize for their parade float. Ms. Ocampo is also involved in several committees on campus such as, AVID and Ed Partners.
Orquedia Ocampos is described as someone who embraces challenges and actively seeks opportunities to develop new skills. She maintains a positive attitude towards her students and their families, actively engaging them in the learning process. Dedicated to the Buttonwillow School community, she offers additional support to students struggling with math and reading after school. Her creativity and dedication were showcased during the Fall Farm Festival, where her first-grade class won a prize for their parade float. Additionally, Ocampos is involved in various campus committees such as AVID and Ed Partners, further demonstrating her commitment to the school's success.
Amber-Starr Oldenkamp
South Fork Union School District |South Fork Elementary School| Resource/Special Education
Mrs. Oldenkamp manages over 50 IEP's while teaching full time and supervising a variety of support providers and paraprofessionals. She not only facilitates all of the IEP meetings, but she also collaborates with general education teachers to provide curriculum and to ensure that appropriate student goals are developed, supported, and met for each student.
Mrs. Amber-Starr Oldenkamp is an exemplary teacher and special education director. She not only develops and implements individual education plans for each of her students, but she supports teachers, parents, and administration with her wealth of experience, knowledge, and ability to work with even the most challenging situations. She cares deeply for each of her students and readily offers support for teachers working to meet the needs of students who do not have special needs, but still need support. South Fork Elementary School proudly nominates Amber as our Teacher of the Year and thanks her for all of her hard work and dedication to her entire school community.
Angela Pendergrass
Taft Union High School District | Taft Union High School | Mathematics
Angela is a thoughtful and relentless teacher. She cares about her students and regularly goes above and beyond to accommodate life circumstances that affect students. At the same time, she is relentlessly demanding. With love and compassion, she pushes her students to their potential. She sees their capabilities and wants them to have the confidence that only comes with meeting high expectations.
As a department chair, Angela has led the math department through immense challenges. As the most veteran teacher in a department of talented new teachers, she is a constant instructional sounding board for each one. She has managed to both guide them and challenge them to become better. She is open to new learning. She has embraced numerous initiatives to support struggling students and initiatives that continue to enrich academic opportunities for high achievers.
As a member of the School Leadership Team, Angela is a consistent voice of reason and wisdom. Her questions are thoughtful and grounded in data. She is not afraid to disagree but does so with respect and dignity for her colleagues. In her questions, we often produce better and more thought-through plans.
In addition to these roles, Angela has been a coach and a club advisor. She is an active teacher in the Oil Technology Academy as its math teacher and the coordinator of all their field trips to colleges and industry. She recognizes that learning occurs outside the classroom and in the athletic arena and she has dedicated herself to supporting the student experience regardless of location.
Lastly, Angela is a member of the District Bargaining Team. In that role, she is fair, honest, and upfront. She advocates for her colleagues but balances that advocacy with deep understanding of the various areas that impact both the district and the teacher experience.
In each area, Angela shines. Considering that she does them all, she is truly exemplary.
Angela's desire to improve the experience of students permeates her decisions. She is willing to think outside the box on ways to improve the learning environment for current and future students She is a brilliant instructor who has mastered questioning techniques in the classroom that lead students to success and confidence. She is a respected leader in her department and across campus. She brings thoughtful consideration and wisdom to all of her endeavors and TUHS is a better place due to her efforts.
Lisa Pitcher
Rio Bravo-Greeley Union School District |Rio Bravo Elementary School | Kindergarten
Lisa Pitcher has been an educator for 33 years, with 19 of those years spent at the Rio Bravo-Greeley Union School District. Her dedication and skills have had a tremendous impact on our district. Lisa's role as an excellent teacher and mentor has genuinely inspired a new generation of teachers and veterans. She is also a valued member of the RBG community, and it's noteworthy that both of her daughters are alumni of the district, which is a testament to how deep her RBG roots run. Her passion for teaching and ability to inspire young minds are truly commendable.Lisa Pitcher's dedication, creativity, and commitment to student success shine through in everything she does. Her patience, empathy, and positivity create a supportive learning environment for all students. Mrs. Pitcher's innovative teaching methods inspire both students and fellow teachers alike. Her passion for teaching and ability to inspire young minds are truly commendable.
Cherry Popoy
Delano Union School District | Harvest Elementary School | Reading Intervention .
Cherry Popoy embodies what it means to be an exemplary teacher. She is knowledgeable about her content, innovative with her instruction, inspires and motivates her students to do their very best every day, and has a positive impact on her school community. Mrs. Popoy is a skilled practitioner that is an integral part of our school-wide literacy program. Mrs. Popoy has received many accolades during her 26 year teaching career including being named Harvest Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2013. We want to thank Mrs. Popoy for her ongoing commitment to the students of Delano and considers her an invaluable member of the Harvest Elementary family.
Mrs. Popoy is considered to be an exemplary teacher for the Delano Union School District. Whether she is a general education classroom teacher, the district GATE coordinator, or a site Reading Intervention teacher, Mrs. Popoy can be expected to do whatever is necessary to ensure her students are learning. Even with 26 years in education, she is a reflective practitioner and tirelessly works on revising and refining her teaching in order to meet the needs of all of her students. Mrs. Popoy’s one goal is student success, and she firmly believes every student can succeed with the right supports in place.Cherry Popoy embodies what it means to be an exemplary teacher. She is knowledgeable about her content, innovative with her instruction, inspires and motivates her students to do their very best every day, and has a positive impact on her school community. Mrs. Popoy currently serves Harvest Elementary as a reading intervention teacher where she focuses on Tier 2 intervention that serves our most vulnerable populations including special education students, English Learners, and below grade-level general education students. Her goal is to close the achievement gap of students who score two or more grade levels below in the district Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI)
In addition to providing reading intervention to her students, she offers a wealth of reading strategies to her colleagues in an effort to support classroom teachers who provide Tier 1 interventions within their classrooms. Furthermore, Mrs. Popoy provides instruction to classroom teachers on how to administer district assessments like ESGI, Early Literacy Battery (ELB) and ARI, and then shows teachers how to best use the data from those assessments to provide prescriptive, researched-based reading instruction.
Mrs. Popoy is a skilled practitioner that is an integral part of our literary program. Her current caseload consists of 36 students grades 2nd-5th. Her hands-on approach to reading intervention allows her students to easily engage in reading and from this their growth is accelerated. In fact in the first semester of school, Mrs. Popoy was able to advance 53% of her students to at least one reading level.
Mrs. Cherry Popoy embodies what it means to be an exemplary teacher. She is knowledgeable about her content, innovative with her instruction, inspires and motivates her students to do their very best every day, and has a positive impact on her school community. Mrs. Popoy is a skilled practitioner that is an integral part of our school-wide literacy program. Mrs. Popoy has received many accolades during her 26 year teaching career including being named Harvest Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2013. We want to thank Mrs. Popoy for her ongoing commitment to the students of Delano and considers her an invaluable member of the Harvest Elementary family.
Is there anything else you would like to share about this individual? (i.e. awards/recognitions received, professional accomplishments, etc.)
Mrs. Popoy is considered to be an exemplary teacher for the Delano Union School District. Whether she is a general education classroom teacher, the district GATE coordinator, or a site Reading Intervention teacher, Mrs. Popoy can be expected to do whatever is necessary to ensure her students are learning. Even with 26 years in education, she is a reflective practitioner and tirelessly works on revising and refining her teaching in order to meet the needs of all of her students. Mrs. Popoy’s one goal is student success, and she firmly believes every student can succeed with the right supports in place.
As an Induction mentor, Mrs. Popoy coached new teachers on classroom management strategies, and effective instructional strategies, in addition to modeling lessons. As a grade-level lead and Curriculum Facilitator, she lent her GATE expertise to edit and revise district assessments and pacing guides to ensure differentiation among the grade level for all students.
Mrs. Popoy has been a proud member of the California Teachers Association since 1997.
Mrs. Popoy spends her free time supporting the Cesar Chavez High School marching in their pursuit of a State, National, and World title.
Mrs. Popoy lessons are created to support fluency and comprehension. This year she has begun adding SBAC sentence stems, for priority reading standards, to the students leveled reading passages in an effort to align intervention and core reading instruction. This is just one example of how Mrs. Popoy is a student-centered teacher eager to refine her instructional support to better serve her students. She celebrates every student's success whether great or small.
Mrs. Popoy celebrates every student’s success whether great or small. She is an avid Disney fan, and when students “level up” in her class, which includes exiting her intervention program, they are recognized at the school award’s assembly with a certificate and pair of Mickey ears.
Laura Rice
Kern High School District| Ridgeview High School | Physical Education
Ms. Rice exemplifies a rare blend of passion, dedication, and innovation in her approach to teaching. Her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment is evident in every aspect of her class. Not only does she possess a profound knowledge of physical education curriculum and instruction techniques, but she also has a remarkable ability to connect with students on a personal level, inspiring them to reach their full potential. She consistently goes above and beyond to create engaging and dynamic lesson plans that cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring that every student feels valued and empowered. Furthermore, her enthusiasm for promoting health and wellness extends beyond the classroom, as she has guided the boys & girls tennis teams for many years.
Ms. Rice is guided by the qualities and principles of integrity, ethical behavior, loyalty, and conviction. Her work ethic is first-rate and tireless. As the PE dept. chair she encourages confidence and skill building in others. She exhibits all the characteristics of an effective decision-maker - carefully gathers pertinent information; communicates with others; utilizes available resources; all of which lead to informed and collaborative decisions.
Ms. Rice exemplifies a rare blend of passion, dedication, and innovation in her approach to teaching. Her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment is evident in every aspect of her class. Not only does she possess a profound knowledge of physical education curriculum and instruction techniques, but she also has a remarkable ability to connect with students on a personal level, inspiring them to reach their full potential. She consistently goes above and beyond to create engaging and dynamic lesson plans that cater to diverse learning styles, ensuring that every student feels valued and empowered. Furthermore, her enthusiasm for promoting health and wellness extends beyond the classroom, as she guides the boys & girls tennis teams for over 16 years. Ms. Rice is simply amazing! We are fortunate to have her at Ridgeview High.
• Ms. Rice was presented the KCTA Legacy Coach Award
Erik Rodriguez
Greenfield Union School District | Valle Verde Elementary |5th Grade
Mr. Rodriguez has an infectious smile and unlimited amounts of enthusiasm and passion for teaching. His students, our parents, and our staff all speak highly of him. We couldn't be luckier to have a teacher of his caliber be voted to represent Valle Verde Elementary.
Mr. Rodriguez is always positive, has great rapport with his students, compassionate and devoted teacher, and spends countless hours providing enrichment to students. He is a Cooperating Teacher for our Kern Residency Teacher Program, leads the Spelling Bee, and runs the after-school robotics club.
Yesenia Sabala
Semitropic School District | Semitropic School | 5th Grade
Mrs. Sabala is very passionate about teaching. She is apositive role model with her professionalism and growth mindset. Her colleagues appreciate her willingness for teamwork that is always centered around student learning.
Maria Sanchez-Torres
Maria Torres has been a middle school math teacher in the Wasco Union Elementary School District for 31 years. Mrs. Torres' love for students permeates every aspect of the Thomas Jefferson campus. She goes above and beyond for every student. Her level of empathy is truly remarkable and it shines through her actions on a daily basis. She consistently shows care and concern towards our students and staff. For instance, she goes above and beyond when staff need someone to talk to in time of need, and has organized and facilitated the Sunshine Club to support them in these difficult moments. When it comes to work, she’s one to arrive before the office staff and the last to leave in order to support and meet the needs of her students.
Mrs. Torres is also known for her depth of knowledge, passion, and dedication to her students here at Thomas Jefferson. Her content knowledge and teaching pedagogy are second to none. She is always looking for new and innovative ways to enhance students' learning through hands-on activities and real-world applications.
Mrs. Torres has been a contributor for Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School (MTMS). Additionally, she has been a presenter at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) National Convention.
Maria’s Influence can be felt throughout the Thomas Jefferson Middle School campus. She teaches 7th and 8th grade math in addition to an intensive Math Intervention class.
Mrs. Torres advocates for all students, especially English Learners and Migrant Students. She has spent many years working with the Migrant Education Program in Wasco. For example, she has taught math and enrichment (e.g., folkloric dance) in Migrant Summer School, Migrant Extended Day, Migrant Family Night, and Migrant Saturday School. Apart from teaching, she’s chaperoned for the Close-Up Washington DC program, trained staff on English Language Curriculum, and presented at Migrant Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings.
Mrs. Torres truly embodies kindness, warmth, and joy by serving and leading by example. Her positive attitude uplifts others and consistently coaches and encourages those in our school community. Additionally, her exemplary content knowledge underscores the importance of her leadership in providing educational excellence for all.
Peers have described her in the following manner; “has a passion for teaching”, “empathetic”, collaborative”, and “has a desire to learn”.
A colleague shared the following statement: “Mrs. Torres is a quiet leader that leads by example. She builds others up with her positive attitude. Every moment, she is coaching or encouraging those around her.”
Mrs. Torres is described as kind, passionate, and dedicated, with a notable emphasis on her inclusivity. Her instructional approach extends beyond traditional boundaries, welcoming students from various programs and ensuring equal access to education. Mrs. Torres' commitment extends beyond regular hours, as she dedicates her time to various student services and activities. Her compassionate nature is exemplified by her attentiveness to others well-being, making her a cherished individual within our school community.
Mrs. Torres truly is the “Heart of Thomas Jefferson Middle School”.
Presenter - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) National Convention | San Francisco, CA
Contributor- Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School (MTMS) The World’s Largest Math Event, : Promoting Mathematical Thinking. Teaching Children Mathematics
Natalie Schuessler
Kern High School District | North High School | Agriculture
Over her impressive 13-year tenure at North High School, Natalie has consistently demonstrated a commitment to student learning. As lifelong learner, she actively engages in continuous professional development, ensuring she stays up to date with the latest educational methodologies to enhance her teaching practices.
Natalie's impact extends beyond her own classroom; she has played a pivotal role as the lead contact for new teachers for many years prior to this year. Her dedication to new-young professionals has made her the go-to mentor for countless new teachers - both on and off campus, offering insights into effective classroom management and exemplifying academic rigor.
Natalie opens her classroom to 25-30 KHIIP teachers annually from across the district, providing them with a firsthand look at her innovative teaching methods. Going beyond observation, she invests time in debriefing sessions, equipping her peers with practical strategies for success in their own classrooms.
In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Natalie's involvement in various extracurricular activities, including being an extended day educator, FFA Advisor, and Link Crew Coordinator, highlights her holistic approach to education. As a devoted Team Gray enthusiast, she fosters a sense of community and school spirit.
Natalie Schuessler's exemplary dedication, passion for teaching, and mentorship make her an outstanding candidate for Teacher of the Year. Her impact on both students and fellow educators is truly commendable. She is deserving of this honor.
Natalie Schuessler is a veteran Agriculture teacher at North High school whose exemplary dedication, passion for teaching, and mentorship make her an outstanding candidate for Teacher of the Year. Natalie not only delivers excellent instruction and holds her students to high academic standards, but she also plays a large role in the mentorship of future teachers. Natalie is an asset to North High School, the agriculture community, and the field of education
• San Joaquin CATA President • Cal Delta Facilitator • San Joaquin CATA Teacher Mentor Award • California Ag Educator of the Year Finalist • Carlston Foundation Outstanding Teachers of America Honoree • California CATA Outstanding Young Teacher • NAAE Outstanding Young Teacher • Jim & Bebe Burke Rising Star Award
Colin Smith
Kern High School District |Centennial High School | Science & Engineering
One quality that signifies Colin as an exemplary teacher is his pioneering spirit to bring rigorous STEM instruction and activities to his students. Colin is the Founder of Centennial High School's VEX Robotics team, the first KHSD instructor to teach the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Principles of Engineering course, initiated the AP Physics course at Centennial, and introduced the Dual Enrollment Physics B2A course to Centennial in 2017 (Colin is the only KHSD teacher who teaches the course). Another quality that demonstrates that Colin is an exemplary teacher is his extraordinary ability to successfully teach multiple STEM classes and programs. Colin's background in Physics, Computer Science and Robotics has allowed Centennial's students to access multiple pathways toward a rigorous STEM program. A third quality is Colin's dedication to the expansion of Robotics to the middle school level. His community outreach and facilitation of middle school robotic events has led to more opportunities for Kern County youth to participate and engage in robotics, and for his students to have the experience of mentoring younger students.
Colin Smith is an extraordinary Science and Engineering teacher at Centennial High School. Colin has been a pioneer in providing students access to rigorous STEM programs and activities. His academic background, and strong pedagogical skills, have led to strong enrollment and student success in three different fields. In addition, Colin's dedication to community outreach has led to his students facilitating and mentoring middle school students in the field of Robotics. Colin has made a positive impact on his students, and thousands of other students in our community.
During Colin's tenure as the coach/advisor for the Centennial VEX Robotics team, his students have qualified for the state competition every year since 2014 (with one team earning a state championship in 2023). Colin's VEX Robotics teams also qualified for the World Championship competition six times (the most recent being 20230. In addition to VEX Robotics, Colin also served as the Centennial Science Bowl coach for seven years, placing 3rd in the Region in 2011 and 2012. Colin has served as a presenter at the PLTW Conference from 2012-2018, and has held trainings and hosted events for VEX Robotics teachers throughout the county and state. In addition to all of these accomplishments, Colin serves as an adjunct Physics professor at Bakersfield College since 2009.
Michelle Sturkow
Mojave Unified School District |California City Middle School| 7th grade
Ms. Sturckow keeps with district initiatives: Are students ok? and can they read? Ms. Sturckow is concerned with students well being not only in her class but school wide. She also maintains a strong and encouraging environment for students to attend class and read daily.
Ms. Sturckow's passion for teaching transcends all barriers, she maintains exemplary classroom management, lessons are engaging, and she maintains a safe learning environment physically and emotionally for all students.. Ms. Sturckow is a true team player; she is a mentor for others and a lead in her grade level sharing her knowledge and passion with her peers, but also helping new teachers achieve success
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Lori Tholl
Panama-Buena Vista Union School District|Old River Elementary School | Transitional Kindergarten
Life-long Learner: Even with over 30 years of teaching experience, Lori Tholl embodies the spirit of a lifelong learner by continuously seeking professional development opportunities, staying abreast of current educational trends, and refining her teaching practices to meet the evolving needs of her students. She will try anything if it will impact student growth. She actively engages in workshops (even taking a leadership role), conferences, and online courses to enhance her pedagogical skills, integrate new technologies into her lessons, and explore innovative teaching methodologies. She is an early adopter who supports those who need more to move forward. By embracing a growth mindset, Lori inspires her students and colleagues to become curious, self-directed learners who are eager to explore new ideas and pursue knowledge beyond the classroom walls, becoming a walking representative of Old River’s vision of creating lifelong learners. I am laughing right now. I just received a forwarded email from her including a video about the power of choice and thought it would be great to share with staff. This is Lori. Caring: One of Lori Tholl's most notable qualities is her genuine care and concern for her students' well-being. She goes above and beyond to ensure that each child feels supported and appreciated. Whether it's offering a listening ear, providing emotional support, or celebrating their achievements, she demonstrates unwavering compassion and empathy towards her students.
Respect: Lori Tholl fosters a culture of respect in her classroom and throughout the campus where every student and staff member feels valued and heard. She treats her students with kindness, empathy, and understanding, creating a safe and inclusive learning environment. Furthermore, she models respectful behavior when engraving in challenging conversations and always sees everyone’s perspective earning her the admiration and trust of her peers. She has a direct impact on our climate.
Mentorship: Lori Tholl excels in mentorship by providing guidance, support, and encouragement to both her students and fellow educators. She understands the importance of nurturing young minds and helps them navigate through the early stages of their academic journey. Additionally, she offers mentorship to not just new teachers, but veteran teachers as well, sharing her expertise as a teacher at many grade levels and experience to help them grow professionally. Leads up: As a leader in her educational community, Lori Tholl leads by example. She sets high standards for herself and her students, inspiring them to strive for excellence. Her leadership extends beyond the classroom as she supports teachers as their PBVTA representative, becomes the admin designee when administration is off campus, became a member of the TK curriculum development at the district level, and supports community outreach programs. Additionally, Lori Tholl demonstrates the ability to "lead up" by taking initiative, collaborating with school and district administration, and advocating for positive changes within the educational system. She actively participates in school committees, like the Instructional Leadership Team, shares her insights on curriculum development, and contributes to decision-making processes that impact student learning outcomes. Her proactive approach to leadership inspires others to strive for excellence and innovation in their own roles.
One of the "pioneer" teachers who started TK in 2012
District TK expert team member, Site PBVTA representative, KCSOS TK teacher highlight (video), ELS PL Provider for TK - Early Childhood Education strategies Old River Admin in charge when admin team is off campus
Past - Instructional Leadership Team member(2019-2023)
Title 1 Site Facilitator (2 year in the past)
Doug Thompson
Kern High School District | Shafter High School |Intervention and Independent Studies
Doug Thompson Doug is an accomplished and well respected teacher at Shafter High School. He is now in his 35th year of teaching. He started his teaching career through the Kern High Adult School and Special Needs services, then to Bakersfield High as a Driver Instructor, later to North High as a Special Education teacher and Athletics Director, and then concluding at his alma matter of Shafter High since 2007 in our Intervention and Support and Independent Studies department. Simply put, Doug is an awesome teacher. I truly have not met one student out of all the classes, or the decades upon decades of Shafter High Generals that doesn’t respect and like him. He is loved by all of our students. Regardless if it’s a struggling remedial student or an advanced accelerated student – every student admires and respects his teaching style. He is the proverbial “poster child” of someone who truly focuses on student learning and not just lesson delivery or assessment mastery. He is the epitome and example of whatever it takes and however many times it takes he will be there to help each and every student. Doug simply removes every excuse of failure, and is a true example of helping our students on every level to be successful. Without reservation I have full confidence and I’m proud to recommend Doug for the Kern County Teacher of the Year. Doug is shining star of effective and compassionate teaching for our students. His door is always open, he is standing at his door welcoming his students each and every period, and is hardly ever seen ‘sitting’ at his desk. Not only in the classroom, but Doug donates countless hours after school and into the evening to help with athletics, activities, fundraisers, the voice in the press box during football season, and even does livestream pre-game sports broadcasting pre-shows for our community. He is proud of Shafter High, proud of his blue and gold, Shafter High alum, lives in Shafter, and is the hub, heart and soul of school spirit and Shafter High General Pride! Thank you, Russell Shipley Principal, Shafter High School
Terilyn Thompson
Elk Hills School District | Elk Hills Elementary School | 2nd grade
Mrs. Thompson embodies a loving, kind, and calm demeanor that creates a nurturing environment for her young students to thrive. With her warm smile and gentle demeanor, she approaches each day with unwavering patience and compassion. Whether teaching math or reading, Mrs. Thompson's dedication to her students' academic growth is matched only by her commitment to their emotional well-being. She understands that conflicts inevitably arise among her young charges, and she handles them with grace and wisdom, fostering empathy and understanding among her students. Through her guidance, they learn not only academic lessons but also invaluable life skills, such as conflict resolution and kindness towards others. Mrs. Thompson's classroom is not just a place of learning; it's a place where every child feels valued, supported, and loved.
Mrs. Thompson has excelled in implementing our PBIS and SEL initiatives. Not only does she provide a high quality education and utilize effective teaching strategies, she also develops the whole child by focusing on our core values of excellence leadership, family and equity.
Cattrice Toles
Bakersfield City School District | Rafer Johnson Community Day School | Restorative Classroom Teacher
Ms. Toles is an exemplary teacher based on numerous qualities and skills. One quality is her perseverance. Ms. Toles started her career as a classroom aide and has since moved on to become a restorative classroom teacher at Rafer Johnson Community Day School. She is extremely creative and innovative when working with her students. One aspect of her creativity and leadership is teaching her students video production. Her students were in charge of creating a morning announcement video daily for the school which included taping, editing, sound and production. A great example of Cattrice building relationships is her ability to connect with students on their platforms at a level that encourages collaboration and trust. These relationships are more incredible when you factor in that most of her students are with her for no more than one semester. When students leave Ms. Toles' class and returns to a general education setting, she schedules school visits to check in with students to continue to build that supportive relationship. Her students have also participated in community service within the neighborhood senior citizen community center. Another quality is innovation, such as when Ms. Toles created and led schoolwide reading yoga and painting read aloud sessions to increase fluency and comprehension. Cattrice also leads the cultural diversity assemblies and activities during the heritage celebrations at Rafer. And, she trains her students to push in to primary classes to serve as peer readers.
When I think of qualities to highlight what comes to mind is student centered! All of the activities and strategies that Ms. Toles implements are always geared toward ensuring her students are 21st century learners and college/career ready. All of this is done with an unmatched passion for students and their well being. Her catch phrase is " no excuses, just solutions". And what is amazing is that she practices what she preaches
Served on the teacher leadership team for three areas: ELA, PLTW, and MTSS.
Presents in all areas for professional development to other teachers and support staff.
Team lead for ELA for three years.
Received Teacher of Excellence from BCSD.
Generates lesson plans for the California Teachers Together, and on the board to vet incoming lessons.
District grant to create a school wide zen garden to promote social emotional learning, reading, and science.
Presents annually at Summer Institute for BCSD.
Guest speaker at the Kern High School District Girl's Conference held annually at CSUB.
Honored by the local tv station for her work during Black History Month.
School lead on all things PLTW.
Kristen Urquidez
Kern High School District | Del Oro High School | Science
Kristen decided to take on the role of leading the science department at Del Oro High School as we opened for students in 2022. Even though Kristen initially visited the school as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) to offer support before its opening, she eventually applied for and was granted the position of science department chair, thanks to our persuasion. Kristen had previously served as the district's Science teacher on special assignment, assisting all science programs within Kern High. Kristen's passion for science was evident during our discussions prior to the opening of Del Oro. Not only did she play a key role in recruiting new science faculty, but she also effectively assessed the requirements of incoming students. Kristen initiated the development of a fresh set of science courses tailored to fulfill graduation, college, and career preparation. Other schools in the district have adopted the 3-course model that Kristen developed. Kristen serves as the school's resource teacher, offering support to educators. She dedicates time to crafting instructional materials and fostering collaboration among teachers. Respected for her role as the district Science TOSA, Kristen consistently demonstrates effective leadership for Del Oro Staff. She organizes engaging cross-curricular professional development sessions for staff, enriching their instructional practices. Kristen demonstrates a high level of knowledge in the area of technology. Through her proactive approach, she naturally became the go-to person for instructional technology support. By understanding the needs of educators, identifying obstacles, and offering guidance, Kristen facilitates effective use of educational technology. She conducts frequent brief professional development sessions covering topics like Google and Go Guardian. Additionally, Kristen spearheaded the establishment of the school's shared Google Drive, which serves as a central location for forms and valuable resources easily accessed by staff. Kristen employs her unique skills to continually work to develop programs, presentation, professional development and materials for teachers that support high levels of student success.
After accumulating seventeen years of experience in science education and leadership, Kristen Urquidez emerges as the resoundingly unanimous pick for Teacher of the Year at Del Oro. Serving as Del Oro's first science department chair, Kristen firmly holds the conviction that all students possess the capacity to learn and apply both content and skills when provided with inclusive instruction and tailored support. She embodies the notion that contemporary science education should inspire students to foster curiosity by exploring relevent, community-based phenomena to comprehend how the world works.
Kristen was the 2012 Arvin High School nominee for Jim Burke Ford Education Foundation Rising Star Award. She is trained in AVID and has been the coordinator at her two previous sites. Again, providing effective leadership to staff on behalf of students. Kristen presented "Collaborative Activities" at the AVID workshop in 2016 and 2017. In 2014 through 2018, she developed and led the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences program and created the Highland High School Biomedical Advisory Board. Kristen was the 2012 Arvin High School nominee for Jim Burke Ford Education Foundation Rising Star Award. She is trained in AVID and has been the coordinator at her two previous sites. Again, providing effective leadership to staff on behalf of students. Kristen presented "Collaborative Activities" at the AVID workshop in 2016 and 2017. In 2014 through 2018, she developed and led the Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences program and created the Highland High School Biomedical Advisory Board.
Tony Valenti
Kern High School District | Stockdale High School | Anatomy and Physiology
Tony Valenti stands as an exemplary beacon of what it truly means to foster a vibrant and enriching learning environment at Stockdale High School. With a philosophy centered on ensuring every individual, be it students or staff, cherishes their time within Stockdale High's walls, he embodies the spirit of educational excellence with his commitment and contagious enthusiasm.Mr. Valenti is a dedicated and committed veteran teacher that truly makes Stockdale High School a better place. For Tony, teaching is not just a profession; it is a calling deeply ingrained in his being since childhood. Inspired by his father, an esteemed educator, he knew from the early age of second grade that his destiny lay in the noble pursuit of shaping young minds. He holds a strong belief in the power of positivity and the importance of a positive climate on a school campus. In the classroom, he is extremely organized, excels at creating and implementing engaging lessons and his communication skills with his students are nothing short of exemplary. His classroom environment is engaging, and fun and he prides himself in how he “sneaks in learning.” He has an innate ability to infuse levity and comedy into his interactions that his students thoroughly enjoy. He forges connections with his students that transcend the confines of the classroom, leaving a lasting mark on their hearts and minds. In the eyes of his students and colleagues alike, Mr. Valenti is not just our Teacher of the Year; he is the embodiment of everything an educator should aspire to be—spirited, dedicated, and engaging.
SHS Teacher of the Year- 2000, Jim Burke Ford Teacher of the Year nominee-2002, Science Department Chair 2008-present
Martha Valenzuela-Rincon
Lamont Elementary School District |Lamont Elementary School | 2nd Grade '
Mrs. Rincon is always learning and takes a growth mindset into all endeavors. She has embraced and thrived with the shifts in education toward student centered learning, whole child intentionality, equitability, and building innovative learners. Her constant reflection and ability to focus on growth within herself and her craft demonstrates to all educators that we are all lifelong learners..Mrs. Rincon goes above and beyond for her students daily. She always strives for more from herself and her students. She has been a pillar to the Lamont community for 32 years as an educator and offers our students, staff and community everything of herself every day. In addition to her teacher duties she supports the school and district through Summer School, Winter Academy, Extended Day, Saturday School, and After School Tutoring. During her tenure at LESD, she has served on such committees as social club, PBIS team, Bilingual Committee, RCD representative, the initial Lamont/Weedpatch Coalition which later became known as the FRLC. She has served as the 2nd grade's facilitator, field trip coordinator, and planned parades and videos during Covid school closures. She also directed a choir of 100 kinder-third grade students. Mrs. Rincon seems to always be able to offer just a little more.
Maria Vilchis De Bruno
Lamont Elementary School District | Food Services | Lead Cook
Maria Vilchis De Bruno demonstrates excellence in work performance by always being a detailed individual on top of her job duties as a Lead Cook. Maria Vilchis De Bruno maintains her ServSafe Management Certification for the past 19 years. This past September Maria’s kitchen site was inspected by our local county environmental health department and she was proud to have received her Letter A Grade of inspection, which shows her commitment to food safety and applying these standards daily to ensure our students and staff are served nutritious meals in a safe environment.
Maria Vilchis De Bruno and her kitchen site staff annually are involved in our various national meal celebrations. Maria Vilchis De Bruno shows excellence in school and community involvement by recently participating in our National School Breakfast Week Celebrations and National Nutrition Month. Maria and her site staff decorated for the students and promoted the importance of consuming good nutrition and the students loved it.
Maria Vilchis De Bruno is responsible for the preparation of meals in a production kitchen, to promote nutrition education, to assist in the maintenance of the cafeteria, and direct the daily activities of a school
Maria Vilchis De Bruno demonstrates excellence in local support by the following. These are some of the testimonials from her co-workers.
“she’s a really good person, she works very hard, and she’s a real kind person to work with & enjoyable”
“always willing to lend a helping hand, very dedicated to the students she serves, and a pleasant leader”
Maria Vilchis De Bruno has a profound commitment to the well being of our students. Maria oversees all of her site’s special dietary meals and has often communicated with her supervisor our student’s likes and dislikes to various food items. Maria continues to maintain cooperative working relations with students & staff.
Charles Wallis
Southern Kern Unified School District |Rosamond High Early College Campus | Cadet Corps & Health
Capt. Wallis' students characterize him as trusting, kind, selfless, inspiring, very wise, adaptive, motivating, proud of his students, patient, and more. Mr. Wallis was instrumental in bring Cadet Corps to RHECC in 2019. He met with the Cadet Corps to further learn of the program and how this opportunity could be brought to RHECC. He worked closely with Cadet Corps to ensure successful implementation of the program and provide students with the discipline, the dignity and the accomplishments offered through this program. Cadets do a variety of activities and Capt. Wallis does them all. Some include Wreath laying Program and attending Veteran's Day ceremonies. Charles has taken students to meet with veterans at the Veteran's Home in Lancaster. They attend parades and community events. Charles is always seeking more opportunities to make a difference in the lives of his students and the community. When he is not involved with Cadet Corp, he can be found out on the baseball field. He has 6 league championships in 8 seasons as a head coach. Each year he holds a Brett Wallis Youth baseball clinic for the youth of the community. This clinic has been raising support and awareness for Juvenile Diabetes since 2012.
Capt. Wallis is the busiest person on campus doing activities for students. He invests so much energy into his Cadets. He instills leadership and service in his students, and this makes a huge difference in the culture of the campus. He is always willing to have his Cadets jump in to help with campus events, and continually looks for ways to expand and build the Cadet Corp program. Capt. Wallis does an amazing job with Cadet Corps and his new Cadet Corp Specialist class. They have many after-school and weekend projects and activities. He is also busy with workouts and coaching the Varsity Baseball team. teaming
Capt. Wallis has been the Survival Instructor for Cadet Corps Survival Program since 2021. He is the CPR Instructor for Cadet Corps and continues to develop Cadet Corps Specialties of marksmanship and Aviation Programs
Claudia Walsh
Kern High School District | Independence High School | Spanish
Mrs. Walsh continue to demonstrate effective instructional strategies and is a leader amongst her peers when it come to showing that we are all life long learners.Claudia is always helping others. She is always willing to participate and help with committees at school. Claudia is a self-learner and shares her knowledge with all of her colleagues. She is an example of someone who never gives up, works hard and shares her knowledge not only with her students but with all her peers.
Tami Weslow
Bakersfield City School District | Cato Middle School |Specially Funded Program Clerk
Tami is always going above and beyond. Her title may be Specially Funded Program Clerk, but is so much more. She is a vital part of the office staff and she is always willing to step in and help anyone. She is a contributing member of the support staff as she assists with testing and the school plan. She genuinely functions in the role of an Academic Program Leader and carries with her the same amount of content knowledge and skill.
Tami is known to the students as Ms. Tami. Students will come up to her with questions or requests from teachers, and she greets them with a laugh and a smile. Tami is always making sure that every member of the school community has anything and everything they need to get their job done. Tami participates in all of our stakeholders meetings. The parents are appreciative of her organizational skills and kindness; making sure they always have treats. She even purchases little thank you gifts for them to show her appreciation for their time. She is considered the go to person on Cato’s campus should you need anything at all to help be successful.
Tami demonstrates leadership and commitment with her actions. She continually shows everyone her willingness to step up to any task that is placed in front of her. She leads by example, takes initiative, and helps others around her to make positive decisions for the entire school site.
Even though it is not required of her, Tami is willing to stay and help our parents with anything they need. Even if it is just simple information about what is happening at school or making sure a parent or family has the materials that they need to help their student succeed.
Everyone knows that if you need something, you go to Ms. Tami Weslow. She goes out of her way to help anyone. There are times when something will fall through, a bus cancels or someone needs something last minute; everyone knows that Tami is the person to go to. She will reach out to everyone she knows to see if we can still make a trip happen. And because she has built those relationships with members of the community, she is able to make miracles happen.
Tami has been an integral part of the Cavalier team since Cato opened. She is known campus wide as being one of the most dedicated, detailed, caring and compassionate individuals. She does not get enough of the credit that she deserves and I don’t think any award can truly capture just how amazing Tami is. However, we feel that this would go a long way in giving her the type of recognition that everyone feels she so greatly deserves.
Jennifer Wilke
Kern High School District |Bakersfield High School | Ag Teacher
Mrs. Jennifer Wilke is an exceptional example of what an educator resembles. Mrs. Wilke comes to work ready to tackle any problem, whether it is the time at the Pumpkin Patch, working on the BBQ for the Ag fundraiser, or finding community service opportunities for her students. Mrs. Wilke is loved by not only our Driller staff, but by her current and former students.Mrs. Wilke has shown through her hard-work, consistency, and patience that she believes in what she does. Everyday she comes to work to do what is best for students. Mrs. Wilke's students respect her and really work hard for her, and it shows. Mrs. Wilke has been over multiple Ag events/programs throughout her time with BHS. She has spent her days at the fair, long hours at the pumpkin patch, and countless hours on community service for the students to help make them a well-rounded individual. Mrs. Wilke is a true example of what an educator should aspire to be like.
Nancy Zuniga
Arvin Union School District | Sierra Vista Elementary | 6th Grade Spanish Dual Teacher
Mrs. Zuniga is an outstanding teacher who goes beyond to acquire the competence and knowledge to deliver rigorous academic instruction to our Sierra Vista Elementary students. She possesses multiple qualities making her unique and unforgettable to the students she serves. She is passionate, creative, compassionate and patient. She inspires teachers beyond her grade level in the Arvin Union School District. She takes the time to get to know her students well through ongoing parent communication leading to successful student outcomes.
Mrs. Zuniga addresses students’ needs using a variety of strategies and assessment tools which support beneficial practices at her grade level to help guide instruction. She understands students have different learning styles and highlights their strengths and supports their needs. She emphasizes the strengths and diversity of students in our school. She utilizes formative standard-based, observation and benchmarks to inform her Spanish Dual Instruction for success. She is an inspirational leader in her 6th grade level and district wide. She is open to modeling and adapts to ongoing changes.