The 41st Annual Teacher Tribute, “Academy of the Stars,” will be held on Thursday, April 24, at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center on the campus of College of the Canyons.

The Santa Clarita Valley Education Foundation, along with the superintendents from Castaic Union School District, Newhall School District, Saugus Union School District, Sulphur Springs Union School District and the William S. Hart Union School District, invites the community to help honor the 2024/2025 Teachers of the Year.

This annual tradition of celebrating one outstanding teacher from each of the public schools across the Santa Clarita Valley started in April 1985 at the suggestion of then Hart District Superintendent Clyde Smyth. With the help of the predecessors of the Foundation, the Education Committee of the SCV Chamber hosted the first Teacher Tribute.

The SCV Education Foundation has continued this tradition for 41 years.

“It’s our opportunity to reward and recognize the teachers making a tremendous difference in the lives of our children,” said Board President and Founder, Jim Backer.

The doors will open at 5 p.m. and the ceremony will begin at 6:15 p.m. when the honorees will be welcomed by the La Mesa Junior High School Jazz Band.

Taylor Kellstrom, of the Kellstrom Real Estate Group and a SCV Education Foundation board member, will be the host for this evening of awards and entertainment.

Each honoree will receive a specially designed award plus a swag bag filled with gift cards and merchandise donated by local businesses. In addition, several high school seniors who plan to be future educators will be recognized for being selected as winners of the SCVEF/Backer Family scholarships.

JSB Development and California Credit Union, year-round Premier Partners of the SCV Education Foundation, are the Presenting Sponsors of Teacher Tribute.

Sponsorship opportunities, teacher shoutouts and ticket sales are available at www.scveducationfoundation.org/teacher-tribute-2025.

Tickets are $25 each. Teacher shoutouts are $10 each. Sponsorships start at $250.

Teacher Tribute honors one teacher from each of the 55 public schools who are selected by their peers and school administrators.

The list of 2024/2025 Teachers of the Year are:

Castaic Union School District

Castaic Elementary Sarah Mclean

Castaic Middle Bryahna Alvarez

Live Oak Elementary Robin Peters

Northlake Hills Elementary Katrina Weiner

Newhall School District

McGrath Elementary Carrie Franz

Meadows Elementary Jennifer Veen

Newhall Elementary Denise Sudik

Oak Hills Elementary Kerry Flynn

Old Orchard Elementary Sarah Romero

Peachland Elementary Jason James

Pico Canyon Elementary Sonja Dameron

Stevenson Ranch Elementary Jackie Willen

Valencia Valley Elementary Kelly Stewart

Wiley Canyon Elementary Theresa Sommers

Saugus Union School District

Bouquet Early Learning Academy Erendida Contreras

Bridgeport Erin Wiseman

Cedarcreek Kristin Westbrook

Emblem Academy Monica Tatlock

Foster Amy McDonald

Helmers Charity Wood

Highlands Ashley Morgan

Mountainview Camryn Arnold

North Park Emily Carpenter

Plum Canyon Chloe Stangl

Rio Vista Christy Goss

Rosedell Janice Gardner

Skyblue Mesa Michele Joseph

Tesoro del Valle Christian Abril

West Creek Academy Katie Arnold

Sulphur Springs School District

Canyon Springs Community Mallory Langley

Fair Oaks Ranch Community Michelle Sifferman

Golden Oak Community Amanda Jones

Leona Cox Community Nicole Aquaviva

Mint Canyon Community Stacy Crowther

Mitchell Community Janay Callahan

Pinetree Community Tiffany Storch

Sulphur Springs Community Malissa Monroe

Valley View Community Matthew Razevich

William S. Hart School District

Academy of the Canyons Victoria Rubay

Arroyo Seco Junior High School Tracey Ake

Bowman High School Elisa Pokorney

Canyon High School Gerardo Herincx

Castaic High School Kate Song

Golden Valley High School Erika Cedeno

Hart High School Heather Bernabe

La Mesa Junior High School Andrew Shousha

Placerita Junior High School Andrea Blade

Rancho Pico Junior High School Nicole Jolicoeur

Rio Norte Junior High School Elena Taing Davis

Saugus High School William Barnwell

Sierra Vista Junior High School Darcy Etienne

Valencia High School Marcel West

West Ranch High School Casey Burrill