Chamber honors best in education

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Matilda Torres High School teacher Christopher Santiago and his mother, Reina Carrera of Desmond Middle School are recognized as 2021-22 Distinguished Teachers of the Year during a ceremony at the Madera District Fair last week.

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The Madera Chamber of Commerce honored educators during the Madera District Fair last week with a Salute to Education.

The event was held on the first day of the Fair (Sept. 8) and sponsored by the Educational Employees Credit Union, Madera District Fair, Madera Linkage Foundation and the Madera Unified Teachers’ Association.

“It was fantastic,” said Madera Linkage Foundation President, Tim Riché. “The teachers really enjoyed a more casual kind of deal. The heat wasn’t great. Any event where you can have fair cinnamon rolls, I’m a fan of. We had a wonderful time. The fair did a great job of setting us up for success. Debi Bray and her crew were off the charts and made sure everything went off without a hitch.”

Distinguished Teachers of the Year

Madera County Superintendent of Schools

Hannah Little, Countywide

Sandra Gayton, Early Education

Nanette Oswald, Itinerant

Anthony Igler, Career and Alternative Educational Services

Madera Community College

Richardson Fleuridor

Sherman Thomas Charter School

Dora Childers

Madera Unified School District

Melinda Engelman, John Adams

Jeanette Ruzzamenti, Alpha

Lyn Mitchell, Berenda

Jake Hernandez, Cesar Chavez

Reina Carrera, Desmond

Brook Blasius, Dixieland

Elizabeth Alexander, Easting Arcola

Irma Raygoza, Howard

Julie Hobbs, Furman K-8

Kelly Guice, Furman High School

Darcy Nainoa, Thomas Jefferson

Robert Piñon, Martin Luther King

Sam Colunga, La Vina

Joy Cunningham, Lincoln

Pamela Brooks, Waters- Madera Adult School

Michelle Duncan, Madera High School

Adam Mena, Madera South High School

Johnny Corona, Madera Technical Exploration Center

Dawna Franklin, Kerr- James Madison

Catherine Jones, James Monroe

Nicole John, Millview

Kevin Larrivee, Mountain Vista

Robert Adams, Nishimoto

Guadalupe Martinez, Parkwood

Stefanie Martinez, Pershing

Christopher Santiago, Matilda Torres

Therese Potter, Virginia Lee Rose

Heather Hami, Washington