“Changing the world, one student at a time” was the theme for the 2021 and 2022 Orange County Teachers of the Year annual dinner at the Disneyland Hotel on Monday, April 25.
In a world that seemed like things were changing by the minute, these passionate teachers focused on their students and how they could help them succeed despite all of the adjustments.
“A global pandemic may have delayed our in-person celebration, but nothing can diminish the pride and gratitude we have for our 2021 and 2022 Orange County Teachers of the Year,” County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares.
The annual in-person dinner honored a total of 117 educators for their exemplary contributions to quality education. Fifty-eight teachers were selected for 2021 and 59 were chosen for 2022. For each year, six people were awarded the teacher of the year title.
The 2021 Orange County Teachers of the Year are:
- Shelley Romanoff-Andros of Buena Park Junior High School in the Buena Park School District
- James (Mickey) Dickson of Northwood High School in the Irvine Unified School District
- Laura Gómez of Martin Elementary School in the Santa Ana Unified School District
- Allison Goodlander of Barbara Benson Elementary School in the Tustin Unified School District
- Emily Quinlan of Saddleback College in the South Orange County Community College District
- Shay Reardon of Ada Clegg Elementary School in the Westminster School District
The 2022 Orange County Teachers of the Year are:
- Jodi Balma, Fullerton College, North Orange County Community College District
- Ann Berger, Esencia School, Capistrano Unified School District
- Richard Berman, Otto A. Fischer School, Orange County Department of Education
- Alondra Diaz, Ralph A. Gates Elementary School, Saddleback Valley Unified School District
- Sovantevy “Sovey” Long-Latteri, La Sierra High School, Fullerton Joint Union High School District
- Ingred Shine, Villa Park High School, Orange Unified School District
The event was hosted by Actor William Allen Young and PBS SoCal producer Maria Hall-Brown. They were joined by musician performances by the Darryl Walker Project and student performances by Kennedy High School’s Kennedy Singers “Executive Order.”
“In a county full of stellar educators who enlighten, encourage and empower students, these exceptional leaders have distinguished themselves by cultivating resilience and character while equipping young learners with competencies they’ll need to reach personal goals, build communities and tackle future challenges,” Dr. Mijares said.
For more information about the Orange County Teachers of the Year program, visit: https://ocde.us/TOTY/Pages/default.aspx.
OCDE’s Media Services team produced brief video features to highlight the work of 2021 and 2022’s finalists. Click on the images below to view each video.
2021 Orange County Teachers of the Year
2022 Orange County Teachers of the Year
