SCV Education Foundation to Host In-Person Teacher Tribute

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Santa Clarita, California – February 20, 2022 

The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation along with the superintendents from Castaic Union School District, Newhall School District, Saugus Union School District, Sulphur Springs Union School District and the William S. Hart Union High School District, invites the community to help honor the 2021/2022 Teachers of the Year.  The 38th Annual Teacher Tribute, Saluting Our Education Lifesavers, will take place on Friday, April 29, 2022, at the Canyon Country Community Center. 

“The theme of the event was selected because, over the past two years, our teachers have braved some very rough waters and navigated a changing environment while preserving, enhancing, and maybe even helping to save the lives of our students.   These have been unprecedented times and our teachers have risen to the challenge”, says Executive Director Jackie Hartmann.  “We can’t wait for the teachers to tell everyone about the voyage they took to get to this point.  They deserve to be recognized, now more than ever.”    

The in-person ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. when the honorees will be taken on a 3-hour cruise.  Captain Dave Caldwell (William S. Hart School District Public Relations Officer) and Activities Director Janene Maxon (Castaic Union School District Board Member) will host a fun evening of awards and entertainment. There will be a special ukulele performance by 5th and 6th  students at Castaic Elementary School and Live Oak Elementary School. Leading the performance will be Music Teacher Melissa Valencia who was a grant recipient of 40 ukuleles from the SCV Education Foundation in 2020.  Included in the festivities, several William S. Hart School District seniors will be awarded $10,000 in scholarships.  

The honorees and a guest will be hosted by the Premier Partners of the SCV Education Foundation who help to fund the cost of the tribute. 

“Our year-round education partners make such a difference to our organization,” Hartmann adds, “I have to say thank you to JSB Development, the California Credit Union, Pocock Brewing Company, and SoCaGas for their ongoing support of public schools in Santa Clarita”.   

The SCV Education Foundation is looking for sponsors and donations for swag bag items.  Those interested in supporting Teacher Tribute are asked to visit their website at www.scveduactionfoundaiton.org or email coordinator@scveducationfoundation.org

Teacher Tribute honors one teacher from each of the 53 public schools who are selected by their peers and school administrators.  The 2021/2022 Teachers of the Year are: 

Castaic Union School District 

Castaic Elementary 

Kristen McGaffee 

Castaic Middle 

Miquela Moreno 

Live Oak Elementary 

Tara Gordon 

Northlake Hills Elementary 

Teresa Uno 

Newhall School District 

McGrath Elementary 

Rosa Becerril-Burns 

Meadows Elementary 

Cindy Breneman 

Newhall Elementary 

Matthew Cavin 

Oak Hills Elementary 

Clarissa Smith 

Old Orchard Elementary 

Igmedio Gardose 

Peachland Elementary 

Gina Rodriguez 

Pico Canyon Elementary 

Kimberly Goodnight

Stevenson Ranch Elementary 

Laura Arnott 

Valencia Valley Elementary 

Karen Clark 

Wiley Canyon Elementary 

Tara Speiser 

Saugus Union School District   

Bridgeport Elementary 

Dina Ticas 

Cedarcreek Elementary 

Katy Engbrecht 

Emblem Academy 

Jeff Charton 

Charles Helmers Elementary 

Jenna Dwyer 

Highlands Elementary 

Robyn Ortiz 

James Foster Elementary 

Johanna Durkin 

Mountainview Elementary 

Adam Hollinger 

North Park Elementary 

Christina Bakoo 

Plum Canyon Elementary 

Juli Schoenberger 

Rio Vista Elementary 

Jennifer Stradling 

Rosedell Elementary 

Cassandra Rivera 

Santa Clarita Elementary 

Scott Cusack 

Skyblue Mesa Elementary 

Shellie Dungan 

Tesoro del Valle Elementary 

Andrew Rude 

Westcreek Academy 

Audrey Hatae 

Sulphur Springs Union School District 

Canyon Springs Community  

Jan LaJoice 

Fair Oaks Ranch Community 

Anne Amling 

Golden Oak Community 

Debbie Eaton 

Leona Cox Community 

Jen Twitchell 

Mint Canyon Community 

Jackie Charrow 

Mitchell Community 

Emily Fraker 

Pinetree Community 

Valerie Andrews 

Sulphur Springs Community 

Katie Calnan 

Valley View Community 

Kaitlyn Graff 

William S. Hart Union High School District 

Academy of the Canyons 

Robert Walker 

Arroyo Seco Jr. High 

Heather Coo 

Bowman High School 

Sheryl Valenzuela 

Canyon High School 

Steven Rector 

Castaic High School 

Hannah Mistry 

Golden Valley High School 

Courtney Straka 

Hart High School 

Diana De La Maza 

La Mesa Jr. High  

Shelley Turski 

Placerita Jr. High 

Elizabeth Leon 

Rancho Pico Jr. High 

Melinda Wignal 

Rio Norte Jr. High 

Mitzi Mandel 

Saugus High School 

Ashley Winkler 

Sequoia Charter 

Fidel Garcia 

Sierra Vista Jr. High 

Kathlee Coleman 

Valencia High School 

Jennifer Burrill 

West Ranch High School 

Heather Frame 

The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation was founded in 1995 to foster relationships between businesses, schools, the community, educators, and youth to enrich public school education and to promote appreciation for public school education in the Santa Clarita Valley.  In support of these goals, the Education Foundation sponsors several annual events and programs to foster and support excellence in education for students of Santa Clarita Valley. The programs include Teacher Tribute, Principal for a Day, Page Turners, Teacher Innovation Grants, Scholarships, Bag of Books and Read with Me!  

Contact: 
Cyndi Kleinfeld 
Programs Coordinator 
SCV Education Foundation 
coordinator@scveducationfoundation.org 
661-305-9394 (cell) 

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