SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Three Sahuarita educators have been recognized among the best in the state, earning nominations for the Arizona Education Foundation’s (AEF) Teacher of the Year award, an honor dubbed the “Oscars of education.”
The nominations highlight the work of Becky Hill, a second-grade teacher at Anza Trail School; Tiffani Jaseph, a K-5 special education teacher at Copper View Elementary; and Ben Garland, instrumental music director at Sahuarita High School.
All three are among the 15 educators statewide vying for the award, which will be announced October 18 at the Madison Center for Arts in Phoenix.
For Hill, the recognition is deeply personal. She came to the U.S. with her family from Colombia as a child. Growing up with dyslexia and as an English language learner, she struggled through her own schooling without the kind of support she now strives to give her students.
“I didn’t have that safe haven when I was going into school. My journey was so different,” Hill said. “When you have challenges in school, it really affects your confidence all the way to adulthood. I wanted to build that confidence for my students, to help them believe they can achieve and be successful.”
Her former students say she’s done exactly that.
“She’ll always be there to make sure we can learn the same way as the other kids,” said Maoedi Gaxiola, a fourth grader at Anza Trail who, along with her sister, has vision problems.
“Sometimes I just wasn’t having the best day and I would walk into her class and she would lift my spirits,” added third grader Makayla Hogge. “She would make me very happy.”
At Copper View Elementary, Jaseph serves as a special education instructor. She entered the field in general education, but was drawn to special education due to the small class sizes and creativity involved in the position.
Her passion lies in meeting her students’ emotional needs first, then building academic growth on that foundation.
“My secret is making sure the student comes first,” she said. “When their emotional needs are met, everything else just kind of falls into place.”
Meanwhile, Garland uses music as a tool for teaching lessons that go beyond the concert hall. He credits his own past music educators for instilling values like hard work and collaboration, necessary ingredients for a successful musician.
“Being willing to evaluate your work, understand where you can improve, that applies anywhere,” Garland said. “No matter what career they choose, those skills will pay off in the long run.”
A full list of this year’s nominees can be found on the AEF website.
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