[Noozhawk’s note: One in a series on the teachers who will be honored Nov. 6 at A Salute to Teachers, presented by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office.]
Ten educators will be recognized Nov. 6 at A Salute to Teachers, an event hosted by Cox Communications and the Santa Barbara County Education Office at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito.
Alisyn Blanton of Miguelito School in the Lompoc Unified School District has been named the 2022 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.
Frank Koroshec of San Marcos High School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District will be honored as the 2021 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year.
Josie Coburn of Orcutt Academy High School in the Orcutt Union School District will be recognized as the 2022 Santa Barbara Bowl Performing Arts Teacher of the Year.
Elizabeth Caruso of Monroe School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District will be honored as the 2021 Santa Barbara Bowl Performing Arts Teacher of the Year.
The 2021-2022 distinguished mentors to be recognized are Lorena Armstrong of Mary Buren School in the Guadalupe Union School District, Riccardo Magni of Pioneer Valley High School in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, and Melissa Woods of Dos Pueblos High School in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
The 2021-2022 distinguished new educators to be honored are Samantha Ayala of La Honda STEAM Academy in the Lompoc Unified School District, T.J. Berry of Santa Ynez Valley Union High School in the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, and Christina Peña Eckert of Carpinteria Middle School in the Carpinteria Unified School District.
The eighth annual presentation will be livestreamed at 5 p.m. Nov. 6 at s.sbceo.org/salutestream.
In addition to Cox, Salute to Teachers is sponsored by Noozhawk, Fielding Graduate University, Montecito Bank & Trust, Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara City College and Southwest Airlines.
Noozhawk Q&A
Noozhawk: Why did you decide to become a teacher?
Riccardo Magni: I felt like I could make a difference. I had a few really good teachers and coaches growing up who helped me and I wanted to try to do the same thing. So far, I’d say that I am on the right track.
Noozhawk: How long have you been teaching?
RM: 26 years.
Noozhawk: What is your favorite subject or lesson plan to teach your students?
RM: AP Environmental Science — I think that it is the most relevant course in high school because we get one planet to live on. If we don’t take better care of it, the outcome isn’t going to be so good …
Noozhawk: What is your favorite part of being a teacher?
RM: I love seeing the light bulb go on. I love watching kids mature and change over time. I love sharing my passion for science and sports with the kids who “get it.”
The absolute best thing is seeing kids years after they graduate and hearing them tell me that I made a difference for them. One of my former students has even come back to teach in my department (and she was one of my mentees).
Noozhawk: What are the challenges of your job?
RM: Many challenges exist today, but the biggest has been the aftereffects of COVID-19.
COVID right now has decreased the desire to learn and be social for many kids. There are huge gaps in what they know and what they should know. Also, the kids are less mature because for the last year and a half they were on TikTok for 12 hours per day in their bedrooms.
Noozhawk: What are you most looking forward to this school year?
RM: Real kids in my classroom everyday. No more Zoom.
Noozhawk: Who are your mentors?
RM: My mentor is Tom Donnelly, my college track and field coach at Haverford College in Philadelphia. A runner for Villanova, he is still coaching today (47 years) and has had more than 100 athletes attain All-American status. He is a legend.
I learned a lot from him; I learned more than just track from him. I can never repay him for all of the lessons, but I can take what I learned from him and help others.
Noozhawk: Who are the people in your life and work environment who support you every day?
RM: My principal, Shandra Herrera, is fantastic. She trusts me and that is so important. My department members and other friends at PVHS support me. Most of the students support me also. We have a very nice school.
Noozhawk: How does it feel to be honored as part of the Salute to Teachers?
RM: It feels great to be recognized. I would mentor new teachers anyway, without getting honored, but it is nice for someone to realize that I try to go above and beyond the call of duty every day. Without new teachers, there wouldn’t be anyone to replace us when we retire.