California Educator

December 2022 January 2023

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The 2023 California Teachers of the Year C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S T O the 2023 California Teachers of the Year, announced in October by State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Tony urmond. All five are CTA members. They have been recognized for their outstanding work and their impact on students, schools and communities. "ese five educators receive the prestigious honor of 2023 California Teachers of the Year for their extraordinary talents and efforts to teach young people in California during his- torically challenging circumstances," said Thurmond in his announcement. "Using their exceptional skills, creativity and experience, they continue to create positive learning environ- ments and make meaningful contributions to the academic and social–emotional needs of their students." Teachers of the year are ambassadors for the profession and serve as representatives of the state for the calendar year. Presented by the California Department of Education and sup- ported by the California Teachers of the Year Foundation, the California Teachers of the Year Program began in 1972 to honor exceptional educators and encourage and inspire new teachers to enter the profession. e 2023 honorees: JASON TORRES-RANGEL United Teachers Los Angeles/NEA Torres-Rangel teaches AP English at Theodore Roosevelt High School and ballet folklorico at several campuses in the LA Unified School District. Named the LAUSD and an LA County Teacher of the Year in 2022, he has been an educator for 19 years. "As the son of two retired Los Angeles Unified teachers, I am humbled, moved and touched, and am so excited to uplift the voices of my students and the work of my colleagues," he said in a statement. " The work of teaching is the work of love and family; no teacher works alone, it is truly a family effort, and I am blessed to work with some of the best educators out there, serving the incredible students of Los Angeles." In fact, according to a local news story, a Roosevelt stu- dent and her parent nominated him for teacher of the year, writing that while she never felt accepted after attending five different schools, she found herself welcome, challenged and supported in Torres-Rangel's class. Thurmond has nominated Torres-Rangel as California's representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition, which will be announced in the spring. LAUREN CAMARILLO Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District Teachers Association Camarillo teaches Spanish and the Ambassador Class and serves as an advisor for the Ambassadors Club and the Spartan Dance Club at Mountain View High School in the Mountain View–Los Altos Union High School District. She is also the 2022 Santa Clara County Teacher of the Year. In her role for the Ambassadors Club, which fosters connections among students on campus, she has helped advocate for student mental health. Last year, a cohort of Ambassadors went before the MVLA Board of Trustees to ask for more therapists, including diverse therapists, to meet student needs. The end result: three new Span- ish-speaking therapists. "I am so grateful to my students whose curiosity, commit- ment and leadership push me to make as positive an impact as possible every single day," Camarillo told the Los Altos Town Crier after being named a teacher of the year. 54 cta.org CTA & You

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