[Noozhawk’s note: One in a series on the teachers who will be honored Nov. 2 at A Salute to Teachers, presented by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office.]
Eight public school educators will be recognized Nov. 2 at the 11th annual Salute to Teachers, an event hosted by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office at the Music Academy in Montecito.
Laura Branch — a Righetti High School science teacher in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District — is the 2025 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.
Rich Lashua, a performing arts and theater teacher at Santa Barbara Junior High School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, will be recognized as the 2025 Santa Barbara Bowl Performing Arts Teacher of the Year.
The 2025 distinguished mentors to be recognized are kindergarten teacher Socorro Chávez of Isla Vista School in the Goleta Union School District, first-grade teacher Eugenia Pappas of Santa Ynez Valley Charter School in the College School District, and English language arts and concurrent enrollment instructor Jordan Willis of Orcutt Academy High School in the Orcutt Union School District.
The 2025 distinguished new educators to be honored are Ryan Blasena, an extensive support needs special education teacher at Hope School in the Hope Elementary School District; Noe Gomez, a dual-enrollment chemistry teacher at Carpinteria High School in the Carpinteria Unified School District; and Oscar Velasco, an ethnic and gender studies teacher at Santa Maria High School in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District.
In addition to Cox, Salute to Teachers is sponsored by Noozhawk, Fielding Graduate University, Melfred Borzall, Rusty’s Pizza and the Santa Barbara Bowl.
Noozhawk Q&A
Noozhawk: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Ryan Blasena: I decided to become a teacher so I could be in a position to make a difference in the lives of students, their families and the community.
Before becoming a teacher, there were many question marks in my head around what I should do with my life. Since having the privilege to teach, the question marks cease to remain, and I have nothing but clarity with regard to my direction and purpose in life.
Noozhawk: How long have you been teaching?
RB: This is my second year as a teacher. However, I have five years of experience working in the field of special education and this will be my sixth year.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite subject or lesson plan to teach your students?
RB: I teach students with extensive support needs, and my favorite thing to teach is communication.
It is fun to think outside of the box and utilize visuals, whether it be picture icons or augmentative and alternative communication devices to teach students communication skills across different settings.
It is rewarding to see these skills click, so to speak, and have students begin using these communication modes during natural opportunities.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite part of being a teacher?
RB: Being responsible for student learning opportunities. I enjoy optimizing their school day in a way that not only promotes access to the general curriculum but fosters an environment in which students can have meaningful experiences alongside their peers.
Noozhawk: What are the challenges of your job?
RB: The challenges of my job are managing a program that not only has students but support staff as well.
Managing people can be both challenging and rewarding. I create everyone’s schedule, which can be a lot to take on and adjust on the fly since school environments are very dynamic.
I also have good relationships with my staff, which leads to more optimal and productive work flow for us all.
Another challenge is time management. Being directly involved with students for the majority of the day is a great thing, but the drawback is that there is not much time left to prepare instructional materials or train my staff.
Noozhawk: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
RB: I am looking forward to gaining more experience as an educator and refining my craft. I view teaching as an art and I am constantly looking to experience, reflect on that experience, and improve my process.
Of course, I look forward to seeing student growth as a result, too.
Noozhawk: Who are your mentors?
RB: I have a few. One is Natalie Holdren, who is the program coordinator at the UC Santa Barbara Teacher Education Program, for my extensive support needs teaching credential. She shaped the way I approach the field in many ways and completely opened my mind to the meaning of effective, meaningful instruction for students within this population.
Another mentor is Rosy Matos-Bucio, who is the behavior specialist for Santa Barbara County SELPA (Special Education Local Plan Area). She and I have conversations throughout the school year in which we discuss ideas ranging from philosophical concepts around the field of special education to the nuances of neuroscience and how it relates to teaching.
Lastly, my students are my mentors. They have taught me a lot about what it means to be a teacher and how to be a more effective one at that.
We learn together and our roles oscillate between teacher and student simultaneously. That is where our growth stems from.
Noozhawk: Who are the people in your life and work environment who support you every day?
RB: In the work environment, those who support me are Kristin Lindquist, the special education director of the Hope Elementary School District; Hope School Principal Anna Scharfeld; and my team of instructional assistants.
Their support directly influences my work on a daily basis and I am very thankful.
In my life, my significant other, Sammy Simon, another local educator, supports me to the highest degree and is a major reason for my growth, not only as a teacher but a person as well.
Also, my dogs!
Noozhawk: What is your favorite quote?
RB: One that roughly applies to teaching young minds would be from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
Noozhawk: How does it feel to be honored as part of A Salute to Teachers?
RB: It feels motivating to be honored as part of A Salute to Teachers. The recognition reinforces this feeling and encourages me to do the best that I can for my students.
It feels great to represent special education, a field often underrepresented, and I am looking forward to continuing to contribute to the field as we advance our practice.
