The six Orange County Teacher of the Year finalists are congratulated by Mickey and Minnie at the Disneyland Hotel. 
Finalist Katie Mayfield from the La Habra City School District is congratulated by County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean. 
Huntington Beach High School students perform at the 2025 Orange County Teachers of the Year gala on Nov. 1. 
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union CEO Bill Cheney and the Gross Family, representing the Orange County Teachers of the Year Award Foundation, award finalist Cassy Cabrera. 
The Darryl Walker Project performs at the 2025 Orange County Teachers of the Year gala on Nov. 1.
On Friday, 61 exceptional Orange County educators were celebrated for their transformative impact on students both inside and outside of the classroom.
Held at the Disneyland Hotel Nov. 1, the 2025 Teachers of the Year gala was hosted by the Orange County Department of Education, which honored each nominee for their dedication to quality education and their role in helping young learners achieve success.
“Orange County teachers are preparing future generations to face challenges with confidence and courage, profoundly contributing to the strength of our communities,” said Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean.” “This year’s theme, ‘Resilient and Strong,’ reflects not only the traits of these teaching professionals, but also the qualities we wish to nurture in our students.”
Following an introduction from Dr. Bean, the two emcees — actor William Allen Young and PBS SoCal producer Maria Hall-Brown — highlighted this year’s finalists and nominees. The event included a musical medley from the Huntington Beach High School choir alongside performances by the Darryl Walker Project.
The Orange County Teachers of the Year Award Foundation, established by William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross, granted the nominees with cash prizes for their efforts to support and inspire tomorrow’s leaders. Each finalist was awarded $25,000 by the foundation while the semifinalists received $7,500 and the nominees took home $5,000 each. Since the program’s inception, the Gross family has donated more than $5 million to more than 1,800 teachers.
In addition to sponsoring the event, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union awarded a personalized gift and a cash prize of $500 to each nominee.
“This Teacher of the Year Award is a testament to the ways you help students build a foundation for success,” SchoolsFirst President and CEO Bill Cheney said. “Thank you for your commitment to spur creativity and ignite critical thinking. Teachers like you leave a lasting impact on our students and our communities.”
Throughout the evening, this year’s six finalists received special recognition with video tributes produced by OCDE’s Media Services team.
The Orange County Teachers of the Year are: