The Modesto Rotary Club and the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) announced the selection of four local educators as 2022 Stanislaus County Teachers of the Year at a Rotary luncheon on May 3 at the Doubletree Hotel in Modesto.  In addition, a Jane Johnston Civility Award was presented to one of the 12 finalists for exemplifying the principles of civility.  “This year, SCOE received 57 nominations from public and private school principals representing 13 districts throughout the county,” said Jason Maggard, SCOE Chief of Staff. “A selection committee, composed of local Rotarians and educators, narrowed the nominations through a paper screening process and then visited the classrooms of 24 semi-finalists before narrowing it down to the 12 finalists.”

The 2022 Teachers of the Year are: Chelsea Bustos from Sinclear Elementary School in the Ceres Unified School District – TK-3 division; Danelle Garcia from Dieterich Elementary School in the Stanislaus Union Elementary School District – 4-6 division; Charlyn Selee from Dutcher Middle School in the Turlock Unified School District – junior high division; and Eli Bynum from Downey High School in the Modesto City Schools District – high school division.

The four selected as Teachers of the Year each received a $1,000 cash award from the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation. Mocse Credit Union also sponsored the event and provided funding for the awards.

The 2022 Teachers of the Year Finalists included:

Elementary (TK-3) Level      School                                                District

Chelsea Bustos                         Sinclear Elementary                           Ceres Unified

Kelsey Larrabee                     Magnolia Elementary                         Oakdale Jt. Unified

Kelli Redman                          Chatom Elementary                            Chatom Union

Elementary (4-6) Level         School                                                District

Danelle Garcia                        Dieterich Elementary                          Stanislaus Union

Amy Harper                           Freedom Elementary                          Sylvan Union

Janette Schmidt                      Fox Road Elementary                         Hughson Unified

Junior High Level                               SCHOOL                                                                 DISTRICT

Amanda Bailey                       Blaker-Kinser Jr. High                       Ceres Unified

Kelli Conner                           Beaver Elementary                             Ceres Unified

Charlyn Selee                          Dutcher Middle School                       Turlock Unified

High School Level                              SCHOOL                                                                 DISTRICT

Eli Bynum                               Thomas Downey High                         Modesto City

Megan Hulst                           Central Valley High                            Ceres Unified

Yohan Partan                         Pitman High                                        Turlock Unified

The Jane Johnston Civility Award was presented to Janette Schmidt from Fox Road Elementary School in the Hughson Unified School District.  The Civility Award is in honor of former SCOE Assistant Superintendent Jane Johnston, who helped launch the county-wide Choose Civility Initiative in 2010 and passed away unexpectedly in April 2012.  Johnston was a member of the Modesto Rotary Club, co-chaired the Teacher of the Year Program, and was active with the Education Foundation of Stanislaus County.  The Education Foundation once again honored her memory with this award.   

This is the 23rd year that Modesto Rotary and SCOE have joined efforts to honor teachers in Stanislaus County.  The program not only honors local teachers and celebrates excellence in education, but also provides an opportunity for teachers to receive state and national recognition. All four Teachers of the Year will go on to represent Stanislaus County in the State Teacher of the Year Program.  One state winner then proceeds to the national level.

“It’s an honor to partner with Rotary to recognize these outstanding teachers – each who helps inspire and shape the lives of students in our county each and every day,” said County Superintendent of Schools Scott Kuykendall.

Sponsors of the Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year program include the Modesto Rotary Club Foundation, Stanislaus County Office of Education and Mocse Credit Union.