San Diego’s finest academic leaders were honored this past weekend at the 21st Annual Salute to Teachers event sponsored by Ashford University, an academic institution owned by Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI). The black-tie gala, held October 1 at the Balboa Theatre, was a presentation of the 38th Annual San Diego County Teacher of the Year Awards.
“Teachers across the nation don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve. The idea of this event is to elevate the status of teachers and remind the community of their importance,” Jim Esterbrooks with the San Diego County Office of Education said.
Five phenomenal teachers, selected from a pool of 45 nominees representing 26,000 San Diego public school teachers from 42 districts, were named 2012 San Diego County Teachers of the Year and are now candidates for California Teacher of the Year.
Ashford University President Dr. Elizabeth Tice presented one of the San Diego Teacher of the Year finalists to the sold-out crowd of 1,300.
“Ashford University is honored to be a part of the San Diego Teacher of the Year awards,” Dr. Tice said. “Recognizing and preserving academic excellence is imperative to shaping the future of our youth.”
The San Diego County Teachers of the Year are:
- Mark Alcorn, Robert E. Lee Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District
- Yolanda Sherard, Rancho del Rey Middle School, Sweetwater Union High School District
- Alicia McBride, JCCS-Reflections East, Juvenile Court and Community Schools, San Diego County Office of Education
- Mark Burroughs, San Pasqual Union School, San Pasqual Union School District
- Jo-Ann Fox, Reidy Creek School, Escondido Union School District
The five new County Teachers of the Year made the rounds on the local news circuit, stopping by KUSI News and Fox 5 bright and early Sunday morning.
The televised Salute to Teachers award ceremony aired live on San Diego’s Channel 4 and 704 and will replay on those same channels at 7:00 p.m. on October 7 and 8:00 p.m. on October 15. The 21st annual Salute to Teachers was a coproduction of Cox Communications and the San Diego County Office of Education.
About Bridgepoint Education
Bridgepoint Education’s postsecondary education services focus on offering associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in such disciplines as business, education, psychology, social sciences and health sciences. Bridgepoint Education’s regionally accredited academic institutions – Ashford University and University of the Rockies – deliver their programs online as well as at traditional campuses located in Clinton, Iowa, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. For more information about Bridgepoint Education, visit www.bridgepointeducation.com or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.668.2580.
About Ashford University
Founded in 1918, Ashford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org). The University offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable online and on-campus programs. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.