On Friday, January 24, our very own mandarin teacher Ms. Lin Guo was nominated as the region 10 California League of Educators Educator of the Year award. She participated alongside six other nominated teachers to determine who the educator of the year was.
This Educator of the Year award, presented by the California League of Educators, was among the 11 regions of California where six educators from each region was nominated and one teacher from each region wins the award. This award is bestowed upon educators who show excellence in teaching their high school students. While this award ceremony is usually held in person, this year’s awards were held over zoom due to some complications.
At this award ceremony, Guo was nominated as a representative of Ayala High School for her excellence in teaching her students the language of Mandarin Chinese and Chinese culture. Since joining the language team at Ayala in 2013, Guo has had an average of a 100% pass rate for the AP Chinese test.
“Inspiring my students to discover humanity in language learning is a great joy,” Guo said. “It’s so rewarding to have the opportunity to foster cultural awareness and help my students, not only to acquire a new language skill, but to also gain a deeper understanding of the world and the diverse cultures around them.”
Aside from the classroom, Guo is the advisor for the Chinese and Japanese clubs, where she leads student performances including traditional lion dances, folk dances, and performance with traditional Chinese instruments. She also manages logistical details for the Liu-Spelding award writing contest for the Chinese American Association in Chino Hills, manages the website chineseinie.com, and has been invited multiple times to present educational trends and share tips.
“It’s important that Mrs. Guo was nominated because she teaches students about culture and respect for diversity that goes beyond the classroom,” Chinese club member Cindy Situ (11) said. “It also highlights the importance of language and cultural education.”
Thanks to Guo, her students feel like they are seen and represented when she puts in effort to help bring Chinese culture to Ayala and the community around Chino Hills. The way Guo relates to her students is one of the most important reasons as to why she deserved to be an Educator of the Year nominee.
“Ms. Guo has made me feel [at] home when I’m talking to her, especially during the Chinese New Year time,” Chinese Club President Joy Zhu (12) said. “Having a teacher who understands and can relate to your culture means so much, it’s truly a heartfelt thing.”
The awards ceremony started with welcomes from the California League of Educators trustee Ron Williams, 2023-2024 League of Educators Educator of the Year Dan M. Jimenez, Riverside county superintendent of schools Edwin Gomez, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools Ted Alejandre, and the Director of partnerships for the California League of Educators Maryam Diaab followed by the Recognition of Outstanding teacher nominations.
Williams then allowed the nominees from each school to talk about why they believed they should win the award. These teachers used personal anecdotes, examples of their teachings, and demonstrations of their excellence to the board.
As the award ceremony reached its end, the board announced the winner of the competition. The winner was Olusola “Sola” Oyinsan, a Math Demonstration Teacher from Middle College High School in the San Bernardino City Unified School District for his excellence in education.
Even though Ms. Guo did not win the award, her excellence of her teaching is recognized by her students and everyone around her. Her kind personality, fun attitude, and participation in the community to spread Chinese culture is truly what makes Guo a perfect fit as a nominee for this award.
“Ms. Guo is very supportive, nice, and understanding. She dedicates her time and energy to promoting cultural understanding [and] I think her passion for teaching and her commitment to the community make her stand out,” Situ said.
