Yuma High’s Sajdowitz is teacher of the month
Shantele Sajdowitz began her teaching career in 2010 as a middle school and went on to pursue a Master’s in special education. Since 2016, she’s been teaching special education at Yuma High School and now, she’s getting recognition for her work teaching students with various disabilities these last seven years.
Sajdowitz has been selected as Teacher of the Month by Desert Ford Dealers in partnership with Univision Arizona and All in Education, the Yuma Union High School District reports.
“Receiving the teacher of the month award left me speechless,” Sajdowitz said. “This makes what I do all the more worth it because I put all my time and energy into teaching and making a positive impact in the lives of the children that walk through my classroom door each day.”
Sajdowitz was nominated by two staff members at All in Education. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to, in their words, ensuring that “individuals from the communities most impacted by education inequities are the ones making decisions for all students.”
To qualify for the nomination, the teacher needs to work in an Arizona school that teaches any grade from 1 to 12 and serves a high number of Latino students. A brief biography of the teacher is submitted along with pertinent information as well as the nominee’s “why” for teaching.
Because of her “why” and the care she pours into her profession, Sajdowitz was selected for the award.
“We are thrilled to recognize passionate teachers in Arizona that are making a difference in the education and lives of Arizona students,” Televisa Univision Account Coordinator Emily Zielinski explained.
As part of the Teacher of the Month campaign, Univision Arizona will create a 30-second commercial spot highlighting Sajdowitz. This spot is expected to air statewide on Univision Arizona from Wednesday, Feb. 15 through Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. Yuma High School will also be receiving a donation of $1,000.