Teacher of the Year nominees announced
The 30th annual Yuma County Teacher of the Year honor will be bestowed on April 25 this year.
This year, 143 teachers in preK-12 school districts across Yuma County were nominated for the award.
“The annual Yuma County Teacher of the Year provides our community with a tremendous opportunity to recognize and celebrate the outstanding job our teachers do to help our students develop the skills, abilities and attitudes to become successful and contributing members of our community,” said Crane Schools Superintendent Robert Klee.
Chosen by their colleagues, teachers are nominated in six categories including first year, primary, intermediate, K-6 special area, junior high/middle school, and high school. All nominees were honored at a kickoff dinner at Arizona Western College.
Yuma Rotarians have interviewed all selected teachers, and narrow down the list to a smaller group of semifinalists. Semifinalists are expected to be announced at the end of March. There are no semifinalists in the first-year teacher category; there is only a winner who will be announced at the upcoming Yuma County Teacher of the Year banquet.
Those chosen as semifinalists submit a short essay containing a brief history of their background in education, their philosophy of education, their view of the teacher’s role in society and a 10-minute video tape of them teaching in the classroom. They are also called back for a second interview to narrow down to a group of three finalists in each category.
The Teacher of the Year banquet is April 25 at the Yuma Civic and Convention Center. During the banquet, winners in each category will be announced as well as the Outstanding First-Year Teacher and the overall 2016 Teacher of the Year. Hall of Fame members will also be recognized at the event, which is sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of Yuma and the Education Foundation of Yuma County.
HIGH SCHOOL NOMINEES
Silvia Arellano, Yuma HS Joe Daily, Gila Ridge HS Gerardo Huerta, San Luis HS Betsy Jacobson, San Luis HS Morgan Laguna, Gila Ridge HS Tricia Long, Cibola HS Patricia Loveless, Cibola HS Jennifer A. Miller, Kofa HS Nicola Olsen, Kofa HS Carrie Stadler, Vista Alternative HS Barbara Verkaik, Antelope High School Brenda Wright, Yuma HS
JUNIOR HIGH/MIDDLE SCHOOL NOMINEES
Selene Arredondo, Southwest JHS Sarah Carey, Ron Watson MS Eva Cervantes, Centennial MS Bibi Frazine, Crane MS Jahan Gentry-Thrower, Gila Vista JHS
Samuel Guerrero, Castle Dome MS Jessica Martinez, Somerton MS Shelby Nash, Woodard JHS Denise Palencia, San Luis MS Aja Piccirillo, Fourth Avenue JHS
INTERIM TEACHER NOMINEES
Claudia Alvarez, Rio Colorado Elementary
Elena Armendariz, McGraw Elementary
Amy Bidne de Barahona, Rolle Elementary
Jessica Casey, Gowan Science Academy
Deborah Childs, Valley Horizon Elementary Alicia Cooke, Pueblo Elementary Bethaney Edwards, Sunrise Elementary
Eloisa Flores, Roosevelt Elementary Norma Garcia, San Luis MS Nelinda “Nellie” Guerrero, Palmcroft Elementary
Stephanie Hebebrand, Desert Mesa Elementary
Maricela Hernandez, Rancho Viejo Elementary
Rachelle Holloway, Ronald Reagan Elementary
John Labs, Cesar Chavez Elementary
Elizabeth Molina, Desert Sonora Elementary
Zachary Morris, Mesquite Elementary
Dina Munoz, Orange Grove Elementary
Christopher Ochoa, Alice Byrne Elementary
Ann Ogram, Gary Knox Elementary
William (Bill) Peters, Pecan Grove Elementary
Mike Rodgers, HL Suverkrup Elementary
Laura Rodriguez, O. C. Johnson Elementary
Alma Ruano, Desert View Elementary
Kitsi Tams, Tierra del Sol Elementary
Gabriela Williams, Valle del Encanto Elementary
PRIMARY GRADES TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Xochitl Batiz, Desert Sonora Elementary
JoAnn Bielke, AmeriSchools Academy North
Jennifer Blake, Gary Knox Elementary Sarah Boera, Sunrise Elementary Yonia Burr, Mohawk Valley Nidia Chaira-Sanchez, Orange Grove Elementary
Gennevie Deloney, Palmcroft Elementary
Jessica Escalante, Tierra Del Sol Elementary
Carlye Fernandez-Ortiz, Gowan Science Academy
Adriana Figueroa, Rio Colorado Elementary
Elizabeth Figueroa, Valle del Encanto Elementary
Anna Garcia, Pecan Grove Elementary
Bri Harmon, HL Suverkrup Elementary
Sondra Hieber, Valley Horizon Elementary Kathie Jirak, Roosevelt Elementary Avis Lane, Pueblo Elementary Kristina McCormick, McGraw Elementary Evonne Newell, Rolle Elementary Antonia Nichols, Gadsden Elementary
Aracely Nunez, Ed Pastor Elementary Edith Pescina, Arizona Desert Kathryn “Logan” Pippin, Salida del Sol Elementary
Claudia Robles, Harvest Prep San Luis
Rubycell Rodriguez, Cesar Chavez Elementary
Alaina Sanders, O. C. Johnson Elementary
Allyson Seale, Ronald Reagan Elementary
Jessica Silva, Desert View Elementary Lacy Stephens, Price Elementary Jesusita Torres, Desert Mesa Elementary Alba Tudor, Mesquite Elementary Molly Valenzuela, Alice Byrne Elementary
Kristin Wieckowski, Harvest Prep
FIRST-YEAR TEACHER NOMINEES
Ashley Aitken, Yuma High School Claudia Alvarez-Ontiveros, Salida del Sol Elementary
Katie Burrell, HL Suverkrup Elementary Keith Cornell, Somerton MS Kayla Cox, Castle Dome MS Daniel Cunningham, Gila Vista JHS
Ruby Escalante, Cibola High School
Wendy Espinoza, Rancho Viejo Elementary
Aaron Ferris, Antelope High School Lauren Hennig, Ron Watson MS Daniel Hergenrader, Centennial MS Rosalva Leon, San Luis HS Lisa Lundin, Gary Knox Elementary
McKenzie May, Sunrise Elementary
Krystina Mendoza, Valley Horizon Elementary Erin Miller, Mesquite Elementary Morgan Moeller, Ronald Reagan Elementary Diego Moya, Vista High School Christie Nicholson, Kofa HS Tricia Severs, Gila Ridge HS Alma Solis, Roosevelt Elementary Casey Stock Farrell, Alice Byrne Elementary
Bryan Yahna, Gowan Science Academy
Clarisa Zaragoza, Tierra del Sol Elementary
K-6 SPECIAL AREA
Danielle Allen, Mesquite Elementary Karen Bagby, Rolle Elementary Jan Boyer, Ronald Reagan Elementary
Mallika Brown, Valley Horizon Elementary
Erica Carlson, Gary Knox Elementary
David Castro, Ed Pastor Elementary
M. Elaine Conway, McGraw Elementary
Jose Dorame, Roosevelt Elementary
Anabel Flores, Tierra del Sol Elementary
Jacqueline Gonzalez, Palmcroft Elementary
Ana Sylvia Heras, Rancho Viejo Elementary
Katrina Herrera, Rio Colorado Elementary
Catherine King, Gadsden Elementary Edith Lucero, Otondo Elementary Carmen Marceau, Pecan Grove Elementary
Kristen Maynard, Desert Mesa Elementary
Johna Meek, HL Suverkrup Elementary
Adela Monteon, Desert Sonora Elementary Lidia Pizano, San Luis MS Julie Quinn, Alice Byrne Elementary TJ Raines, Pueblo Elementary Sarai Robles, Cesar Chavez Elementary
Elisa Rouse, Orange Grove Elementary
Luz Rubio, Valle del Encanto Elementary Diana Salazar, Sunrise Elementary Earla Stahl, Salida del Sol Elementary
Silvia Vega, San Luis Preschool