SCV News | April 26: SCV Education Foundation Hosts 40th Annual Teacher Tribute
Uploaded: , Friday, March 29, 2024
By Press Release
The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation along with the superintendents from Castaic Union School District, Newhall School District, Saugus Union School District, Sulfur Springs Union School District and the William S. Hart Union High School District, invites the community to help honor the 2023/ 2024 Teachers of the Year on Friday, April 26.
The 40th Annual Teacher Tribute, Academy of the Stars, will be held at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
“In April, 1985, at the suggestion of then Hart District Superintendent Clyde Smyth, the predecessors of the Foundation, the Education Committee of the SCV Chamber, hosted the first ever Teacher Tribute to honor outstanding teachers from our community,” said SCV Education Foundation Board President and Founder, Jim Backer. “We honored 36 teachers with 150 people in attendance at the old Valencia Country Club clubhouse. Now, ‘two score years later,’ in Lincoln’s words, we celebrate SCVEF’s 40th Anniversary as we honor one teacher from each local public school and celebrate the dedication, power, vision and inspiration of the people who teach our children. It’s our opportunity to reward and recognize the teachers making a tremendous difference in the lives of our children.”
The ceremony will begin at 6:15 pm when the honorees will be welcomed by the Castaic High School Jazz Band.
Taylor Kellstrom, Kellstrom Real Estate Group and SCVEF board member, will emcee the evening of awards and entertainment.
Each honoree will receive a specially designed award plus a swag bag filled with gift cards and merchandise donated by local businesses.
In addition, several high school seniors who plan to be future educators, will be recognized for being selected as winners of the SCVEF/Backer Family scholarships.
JSB Development and California Credit Union, year-round Premier Partners of the SCV Education Foundation, are the Presenting Sponsors of Teacher Tribute. Sponsorship opportunities, teacher shoutouts and ticket sales are still available at www.scveducationfoundation.org/40th-annual-teacher-tribute.
Teacher Tribute honors one teacher from each of the 55 public schools who are selected by their peers and school administrators. The 2023/2024 Teachers of the Year are:
Castaic Union School District
Castaic Elementary Claudia Kirk
Castaic Middle Terry Parent
Live Oak Elementary Ken Hooker
Northlake Hills Elementary Brianna Gehrke
Newhall School District
McGrath Elementary Maria Cardia
Meadows Elementary Kristy Burkey
Newhall Elementary George Chavez II
Oak Hills Elementary Janelle Grover
Old Orchard Elementary Juliane Liles
Peachland Elementary Chelsea O’Donoghue
Pico Canyon Elementary Mary Lee
Stevenson Ranch Elementary Belinda Zdawczyk
Valencia Valley Elementary Kelli Koogler
Wiley Canyon Elementary Marla Adelman
Saugus Union School District
Bridgeport Courtney McCarty
Cedarcreek Michelle Pearce
Robert Desmond Academy Emblem
Foster Susan Michaelides
Helmer Christine Hobbs
Highlands Claudia López-Gallagher
Mountainview Mishelle Lara
North Park Julianne Vannix
Plum Canyon Jaimee Strength
Rio Vista Tamara Gardner
Rosedell Allison White
Santa Clarita Barbara Marin
Skyblue Mesa Lara Lim
Tesoro del Valle Terri Shirley
West Creek Academy Connie Lindsay
Sulfur Springs Union School District
Canyon Springs Community Liz Mowry
Fair Oaks Ranch Community Danielle Johnson
Golden Oak Community Jennifer Lane
Leona Cox Community Glenn Endo
Mint Canyon Community Jennifer Borges
Mitchell Community Kristine Shaw
Pinetree Community Laurel Delp
Sulfur Springs Community Vicki Hamilton
Valley View Community Cindy Goossens
William S. Hart Union High School District
Academy of the Canyons Michael Koegle
Arroyo Seco Junior High School Kevin Fulleman
Bowman High School Pamela Thompson
Canyon High School Joshua Underwood
Castaic High School Ashley Albrecht
Golden Valley High School Jaide McClinton Yoakum
Hart High School Nicholas Gravel
La Mesa High School Junior Erika Garcia
Learning Post Academy Michele Engerran
Placitas Junior High School Holly Reed
Rancho Pico Junior High School Erin McHorney
Rio Norte Junior High School Nancy James
Saugus High School Ulrike Skillman
Sequoia School Priscilla Lofton
Sierra Vista High School Junior Mandi Hatfield
Valencia High School Casey Cuny
West Ranch High School Anne Konrad
