Six Southern Arizona Teachers Nominated for Arizona Teacher of the Year Award
Six Southern Arizona teachers have been nominated for the prestigious 2024 Arizona Teacher of the Year Award. The award is given by the Arizona Educational Foundation to recognize exceptional teachers in the state.
The nominees include:
- Andrea Barallardos, Engineering, Career and Technical Education, and Physics, Douglas High School, Douglas Unified Schools District
- Clare Contreras, Second Grade General Education, Sahuarita Primary School, Sahuarita Unified School District
- Marian Johnson, Mathematics and Special Education, Amphitheater High School, Amphitheater Schools
- Bridget Montoya, Career and Technical Educational Professions/Math, Flowing Wells High School, Flowing Wells School District
- Rebecca Oravec, Art, Wrightson Ridge K-18, Sahuarita Unified School District
- Grazyna Zreda, Chemistry, Tanque Verde High School, Tanque Verde Unified School District
Out of the 15 nominees, five will be selected as Ambassadors for Excellence and finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on Oct. 14 and will receive a prize package that includes $15,000.
New Program Launched by University of Arizona to Support Hispanic Students
The University of Arizona has recently launched a new project called LISTO (Leveraging Insights to Strengthen Regional Talent and Opportunities) to provide more education and job opportunities for its Hispanic student population, specifically in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
The project has received $2.97 million in funding from the National Science Foundation. The University of Arizona was the first four-year public university in Arizona to be federally recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in 2018. HSIs are higher education schools with undergraduate enrollment that is at least 25% Hispanic. Currently, there are 21 HSIs in Arizona.
Project LISTO, which started on Aug. 1 and will run until July 2028, aims to establish a network of support for HSIs in Arizona to ensure the success and graduation of Hispanic students and students from other underrepresented backgrounds in STEM.
Elizabeth Bradshaw Receives Legacy Award for Contributions to Education
Elizabeth Bradshaw, a retired teacher from the Vail Unified School District, has been honored with the 2024 Arizona Educational Foundation Carolyn Warner Legacy Award. This annual award, valued at $1,000, is named after Carolyn Warner, an advocate for public education and teachers in Arizona.
Bradshaw, who previously won the AEF Arizona Teacher of the Year award in 1991 and was a semifinalist for the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2012, retired in 2021 after serving as a gifted education teacher in the Vail district. She was recognized as the longest-serving employee in the district’s 120-year history.
Throughout her career, Bradshaw was known for her innovative teaching methods and dedication to creative learning opportunities. She also played a significant role in the Hands Across the Border Program, a student exchange program with a community in Mexico.
The Carolyn Warner Legacy Award recognizes Bradshaw’s exceptional contributions to education and her commitment to inspiring students.