Arika Daniels
Since 1974, the San Diego County Office of Education has recognized teachers from across the region for their commitment to teaching and learning. Every year, teachers representing all 42 county districts are invited to apply for the San Diego County Teacher of the Year Awards.
Five local educators representing schools from Del Mar, Ramona, Valley Center, central San Diego, and Lakeside have been named San Diego County Teachers of the Year. They will be honored formally during the 30th annual “Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers”, brought to you by San Diego County Credit Union and will air as a pre-recorded show on Nov. 21 on Cox’s YurView network. In addition to recognizing the five County Teachers of the Year, the show will delve into the learning environment during COVID-19, feature highlights from the show’s past 30 years of honoring the teaching profession, and demonstrate how community partners support education across San Diego County.
“While the teaching environment has changed over the last several months, the impact that teachers have on their students and on society has not. In fact, the need for learning and connection is even more critical as we confront this pandemic,” said San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Gothold.
“San Diego County teachers have risen to the challenge and continue providing students with the academic, social, and emotional supports they need to be successful now, and in the future. They are highly skilled, passionate, and determined individuals, and we are honored to recognize and celebrate them.”
Meet the 2021 San Diego County Teachers of the Year!
Arah Allard, Grade 4, Del Mar Hills Elementary School, Del Mar Union School District
Arah Allard has been teaching for 20 years, starting as a band director and music teacher. She now teaches 4th grade at Del Mar Hills Elementary School in the Del Mar Union School District. As a teacher, she is constantly reflecting on and refining her practices, which has helped her remain effective while teaching remotely during the pandemic.
“One of my guiding principles has always been to embrace change,” she said. She has made social and emotional learning a high priority and enjoys giving students projects focused on design thinking.
“We are so grateful to have Mrs. Allard at Del Mar Hills Academy,” said Nadar Lwin, parent. “She is a one-of-a-kind teacher who sets high expectations, provides equal opportunity for all backgrounds and abilities, and builds a community with love, kindness, and generosity."
Christine Hill, Career Technical Education Engineering, Grades 9-12, Ramona High School, Ramona Unified School District
Christine Hill began her career as a biomedical engineer and after retiring, worked as a mathematics aide at a school for at-risk students. This experience was the turning point in her life, and she has spent much of her 14-year career in education dedicated to helping underrepresented student populations learn and achieve.
Hill creates a safe environment for students where “they know they are loved, understood, challenged, and supported always,” which allows them to fail without fear.
“We celebrate our failures, because only by failing can we learn. This approach to teaching allows all my students to go beyond what they think is possible, develop a love for learning in engineering, and enjoy a bright future with amazing opportunities.”
To encourage girls to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), Hill started at the school a program created by the Cal Poly Pomona College of Engineering called the Femineers. In three years, she has gathered outside funding, engaged professionals from the field, and seen 98% of her graduating seniors pursue their education in a STEM field.
Jose Melo, Dual Language Social Studies and English Language Development, Grades 6-8,Valley Center Middle School, Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
Jose Melo focuses on building strong relationships with students, in the classroom and in the community. In addition to his work as a dual language teacher at Valley Center Middle School in the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District, he supports students of migrant families, serves as a mentor and tutor to students from the San Pasqual Reservation, mentors new teachers, serves on the school site council, organizes parent workshops, and coordinates a Saturday School program focused on community collaboration and positive behavioral interventions and supports.
Melo, who worked picking fruit as a teenager, found his love for teaching after participating in a program that recruits college students with migrant backgrounds to work as teacher assistants.
“Every student has a story to tell,” he said. “Students should be empowered to share their stories and life experiences with their classmates and teachers because it allows students to develop a better understanding of who they are and the bonds that unite them with others.”
Paula Richardson, Music, Grades 6-8, Wilson Middle School, San Diego Unified School District
Paula Richardson has been teaching music for 13 years, but her influence extends well beyond notes and melodies. With literacy an issue at her campus, she helps by incorporating reading lessons into her music curriculum and increasing access to books and reading materials for students.
Richardson knows that music provides valuable skills that will help students in any career path, and advocates for music and the arts as a means to developing well-rounded students and people
“The arts are for everyone and everyone needs the arts,” Richardson said. “I believe we as educators would see more achievement and greater success once we incorporate a well-rounded curriculum and include topics that include every student as they are. Creativity and education go hand-in-hand.”
“She tirelessly takes on new responsibilities and tries new things to best meet the needs and interests of her students, such as directing after-school theatre musical productions and piloting a new mariachi club (one of the first in the district),” said Laura Williams, colleague. “It is no wonder that over 230 students are currently enrolled in her classes - in a school of less than 700. Paula’s music courses are magic.”
Jay Tweet, History-Social Science, Grade 12, El Capitan High School, Grossmont Union High School District
Jay Tweet started his career in corporate finance, but quickly found his way to the classroom in search of a more rewarding career. Tweet has been teaching history and economics for 15 years, helping students apply often-difficult concepts to their everyday lives to enhance understanding.
“I’ll tell my students that a teacher is no different than a personal trainer: Their mind is like a muscle - it can get bigger and stronger - but they have to work. My job is to provide them with the weights, to teach them the right form, and to encourage them. They have to lift the weights.”
He encourages responsibility and initiative by allowing students to have input on how they learn so they become more invested in their education.
“I have never had a teacher like Mr. Tweet who perfectly constructs a learning environment that fosters academic excellence and understanding,” said a student at El Capitan High School. “Not only does he amply prepare us for our AP test, but he also strives to help us understand the world. While he is focused on educating his classes on the exam content, he pushes us a step further and forces us to think about the real world applications of economics and how what we learn today can affect us in the future.”
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