Two Alumni Named "County Teacher of the Year"
Top Honors taken in San Diego and Los Angeles
Two National University alumni have been recognized as among the best teachers in their respective counties.
On Friday, Sept. 29th alumnus Alan Lawrence Sitomer (Master of Education, 2003) was named 2006/2007 Teacher of the Year for Los Angeles County.
"Wow," said a humbled Mr. Sitomer, a high school English teacher at Lynwood High School, a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Loyola Marymount University, and a nationally recognized public speaker who specializes in engaging reluctant readers.
Mr. Sitomer is also a recipient of the 2004 Award for Classroom Excellence from the Southern California Teachers of English, and is the author of multiple Young Adult novels including The Hoopster and Hip-Hop High School. He is one of many statewide to be recognized as a Teacher of the Year (see below).
Alumna Pamela Moorehead (MA, Human Behavior, 1989) is one of four individuals who were named 2006/2007San Diego County Teachers of the Year on Saturday, October 7.Ms. Moorehead teaches in San Diego County's Juvenile Court and Community Schools. She was featured in an article in the October 11 edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune. To view the article, click here.
Ms. Moorehead is the latest in a long and distinguished line of National University alumni and students to earn the title of San Diego County Teacher of the Year. Last year, National University student Keith Koelzer was named a San Diego County Teacher of the Year. In the10 years prior to that, five National University alumni were named San Diego County Teacher of the Year.
"There is no way I would have been able to earn my master's degree, if it weren't for National University," said Ms. Moorehead, who attended classes here while working full time and raising two children. " Thanks to my education, I have been able to go out and do some good things, to help these children who are most in need and influence them in a positive way that will hopefully change their lives and benefit them for years to come."
Statewide, National University alumni Amanda Fried (CRED, 1994) and Anne DiPalermo (CRED, 1993) were recognized as Santa Clara County Teachers of the Year in 2004; alumnus Richard Kravchak (CRED, 1998) was named Los Angeles Unified School District Teacher of the Year in 2002. Alumnus Chris Hoover (Schlueter) (CRED, 1986) was named Sacramento County Teacher of the Year in 2004; and alumna Pauline Maranian (CRED, 1999) was named Orange County Teacher of the Year in 2003.
National University alumni have also been named National Teacher of the Year. Sandra L. McBrayer (CRED, 1988) earned the distinction in 1994, and Jan Patrick Mongoven (MA, Counseling Psych., 1994) took the title in 2000.
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