The Gila County Education Service Agency sponsors the Gila County Teacher of the Year Program. The purpose of the Gila County Teacher of the Year Program, established in 2011, is to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the efforts of professional educators who demonstrate excellence both in and out of the classroom. The goals of the Gila County Teacher of the Year Program are to 1) acknowledge, celebrate and promote excellence in teaching; 2) recognize and honor teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching, and 3) pay tribute to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in educating the young people of Gila County. Nominees may be nominated by another educator, a student, an administrator, or by a parent or community member. A selection committee comprised of community members reviews and screens applications and selects finalists.
Nominees for this year's 2020-2021 Gila County Teacher of the Year Aware are as follows: Amanda Mowrey, Rhiannon Oldfield, Dave Hankin, Margot Tan, Laura Hacker, Mr. M., and Ken Vargas, Ahriana Tarango, Alecia Page, Amanda Sharrer, Ann Tolman, Barb Anderson, Bobby Warren, Brandi Baker, Candice Price, Carey Hudgings, Cathy Dodd, Cathy Jo Ewing, Cheryl Wickizer, Chris Harold, Christine Smith, Colette Schwenk, Damien McDaniel, Dan Hill, Debra Paciorek, Denise Greer, Diana Fletcher, George Conley, Geri Gardea, Gerine Smyers, Glen Lieberry, Hunter Harsley, Jaci Tanner, Janice Hoyt, Jeff Battese, Jenna Gregory, Jessica Gore, Jesslyn Davis, Jim McBride, Joy Wilson, Julie Rasmussen, Katy Goldman, Kevin Hull, Kristina Dieball, Leslie Sexton, Lisa Schiefert, Lynda Nixon, Marc Marin, Mary Yazzie, Michaela Perry, Morgan Gongaware, Nicole Goebel, Noelle Anderson, Pam Westbrook, Renea Short, Rob Otero, Sam Gonzales, Sandra Rodriquez, Serena Joslin, Tammy McLellen, Taylor Merrick, Ted Quinn, Wendy Granneman. |
Ms. Amanda Mowrey of Globe High School District #1 was selected as this year's recipient of the 2020-2021 Gila County Teacher of the Year Award.
Amanda Mowrey is a Globe, Arizona native who graduated from Globe High School (GHS) in 2008. From there, she initiated her academic career at Eastern Arizona College, earning an AA degree in Liberal Studies and a BA degree at Truman State University in Romance Languages with a concentration in Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Later, she volunteered intermittently as a language teacher for 5 years in Sao Tome, Africa, and various states in Mexico. While in Mexico, she was honored as a National Council of Science & Technology Scholar (CONACYT – acronym in Spanish) and offered a place in the Universidad Autonoma de Chiapa’s MA in Language Teaching program where she created a curriculum proposal for the university’s Spanish teacher formation courses that was accepted. Upon completion of the program, she then returned to GHS as a teacher. Her most recent accomplishments within the school are developing various level Spanish language courses for Globe’s students, offering her students cultural exposure through national and international trips, and being nominated as Teacher of the Month and Gila County Teacher of the Year. Her favorite part about being an educator is the challenge of being presented with potential, giving the students the tools to succeed with a little guidance, and then letting the students surprise her with the distances they go. |