Sara Wyffels Spanish teacher at Chandler High School Arizona Teacher of the Year.

Sara Wyffels will go on to compete in countrywide competition

PHOENIX, Sara Wyffels, a Spanish instructor at Chandler High School in the Chandler Unified School District is the Arizona Educational Foundation's 2021 Arizona Teacher of the Year.

Wyffels was once chosen from the 5 2021 Ambassadors for Excellence that had been recognized via the basis ultimate month as finalists. The award was once introduced for the duration of the Arizona Educational Foundation's digital awards ceremony on Friday, October 23rd.

Desert Financial Credit Union served as the 2021 AEF Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards supplying sponsor. "Supporting training has been a lengthy culture of ours, and it was once our pleasure to serve as Title Sponsor for the 2021 Arizona Teacher of the Year Award," stated Jeff Meshey, President and CEO at Desert Financial Credit Union. "Teachers have constantly influenced the future however this year, their adaptability and dedication truely cemented their hero status," he added.

A veteran instructor of 14 years, Sara Wyffels teaches Spanish Level two and International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement degrees 5 and 6 at Chandler High School. She is a nationally board licensed trainer who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Western Washington University and her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Portland. The ignition for her language gaining knowledge of ride used to be sparked through her learn about overseas journey in university and she is passionate about educating the energy of human connections thru the Spanish language. Wyffels discovered Spanish as a 2d language, which has proven her the electricity of journey and the splendor of the human spirit, which are issues built-in into her Spanish classes. She considers herself and her college students international residents who have the potential to make a superb distinction in the world each and every day.

Wyffels grew to become a instructor to make a difference. "I select to educate and I pick to continue to be a teacher. Being a instructor is one of the most gratifying careers an man or woman can have due to the fact you are altering lives. As a Spanish teacher, I see firsthand how the electricity of language evokes human connection.  Teaching language is not simply about mastering new vocabulary; it is opening the eyes of my college students to a world past themselves and educating them how to be international citizens."

As the new Arizona Teacher of the Year, Wyffels will interact in a "year of recognition" as an Ambassador for the instructing profession, handing over over a hundred speeches and making public appearances at some point of the kingdom and the nation. As Arizona's Teacher of the Year, Wyffels turns into a candidate for National Teacher of the Year. She will acquire $15,000 from the Arizona Educational Foundation and paid journey – COVID allowing – to the White House to meet the U.S. President, and will spend a week at International Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. She will additionally be given expert speech training, consideration to obtain an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University, and an Arizona K12 Center Scholarship to attend the Teachers Leadership Institute. She will additionally be a participant in the Fiesta Bowl Parade and get hold of a "virtual" Intel journey courtesy of Intel Arizona.

Additionally, AEF named its 4 Teacher of the Year finalists, known as "Ambassadors for Excellence," who will serve with Wyffels as spokespersons for their profession, advocating for excellence in the study room by using making shows statewide to education, civic, government, and expert organizations. To e book an look by using the Arizona Teacher of the Year or one of the 4 Ambassadors, please contact Kim Graham at kim@azedfoundation.org.

The 4 2021 Ambassadors for Excellence are:

Estevan Carreon (Special Education), Independence High School, Glendale Union High School District;
Jillian Hernandez (Elementary Education), Puente de Hózhó Elementary School, Flagstaff Unified School District;
Sara Mora (Career and Technical Education), Wrightson Ridge School, Sahuarita Unified School District;
Hillary Stacey (Chemistry), Empire High School, Vail Unified School District;
Five extra instructors have been chosen as Semifinalists and identified throughout the ceremony:

Jeffrey Mann (World History), Flowing Wells High School, Flowing Wells Unified School District;
Sharisse Nunes (Elementary Education), Falcon Hill Elementary, Mesa Public Schools;
Nicole Powell (Elementary Education), Las Sendas Elementary, Mesa Public Schools;
Shaylyn Savage (Special Education) Sunset Ridge Elementary School, Pendergast Elementary School District;
Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw (Social Studies), Rincon Vista Middle School, Vail Unified School District;
AEF's annual Teacher of the Year software is the solely statewide application to highlight and honor Arizona's public faculty instructors for excellence in teaching. The annual Teacher of the Year software is the premier tournament of the Arizona Educational Foundation, a statewide nonprofit employer committed to spotlighting the awesome work of public schools.

"Public colleges in Arizona hire some of the excellent and most devoted instructors in the state," says Kim Graham, Executive Director of the Arizona Educational Foundation. "Ms. Wyffels and the different instructors honored with the award are first-rate examples of the nice of Arizona's public college educators. I have the utmost recognize and admiration for all of our instructors and the efforts they make day by day to enhance the lives of Arizona students," stated Graham.

Thanks to its beneficiant sponsors and donors, the Arizona Educational Foundation continues to be capable to grant this exceptional award for the thirty seventh consecutive year. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Kim Graham at kim@azedfoundation.org.

About Arizona Educational Foundation:

The mission of AEF is to identify, assist and have fun excellence in Pre-K-12th grade Arizona public training via enterprise and neighborhood partnerships. We do this via a range of applications for teachers, administrators, and students. Some of our packages shine a highlight on excellence; others furnish a stepping-stone to assist assist colleges and educators on the street to awesomeness. In addition to the Arizona Teacher of the Year program, AEF additionally coordinates the Arizona State Spelling Bee, the A+ School of Excellence Award, the Principals Leadership Academy of Arizona, teachSTEM, and Take Your Legislator to School. AEF was once situated in 1983 by using then State Superintendent of Public Education, Carolyn Warner, who felt a nonprofit wished to be mounted to champion public schooling and understand the fantastic work of public-school educators.