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.
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
