A fifth grade teacher in Flagstaff has been named as one of the top five finalists for Arizona Teacher of the Year.
Jillian Hernandez teaches at the tri-lingual Flagstaff Unified School District magnet school Puente de Hózhó and submitted a platform as part of the application process focusing on social justice and meeting the needs of diverse populations in the state.
“Education can and should be an act of social justice,” says Hernandez. “If education does not allow for empowerment and action, then we have missed the point.”
The Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by the Arizona Education Foundation and the awards ceremony will take place virtually Oct. 23. The winner will be Arizona’s candidate for the National Teacher of the Year while the other four finalist candidates will serve as Ambassadors of Excellence.
