Each year, in addition to the Administrator-nominated Top Teacher of OC program, we welcome parents, students and past students to nominate the educators who made a difference in their lives to our Family Favorite Top Teacher list. This year, we had 214 essays submitted about OC educators.
Compiled by Sascha Zuger
Dana Ware
Orange County Academy of Science and Arts, Laguna Niguel | 12 Nominations
“Mrs. Ware has overcome thousands of challenges that come with a brand new school.” — Silvia Herson, Parent
“Mrs. Ware has made the transition of a new school with STEAM an exciting and easy transition for my daughter.” — Carrie Danko, Parent
“She is one of the reasons that my son wants to go to school every day.” — Acalya Heeren, Parent
“Mrs. Ware helps inspire the children through yoga, knitting, exercise, class pets, and projects.” — David Robinson, Parent
“She looks at each child individually and assesses their personal strengths and weaknesses to best guide them.” — Jami Gulini, Parent
“She is always thinking of innovative ways to educate.” — Jaime Johnson, Parent
Andrew Lewis
VanDamme Academy, Aliso Viejo | 11 Nominations
“My school would not be the same without him. He is instrumental in every recital and talent show and has let an after-school drama class for the middle grade children for years. Every year, the kids are clamoring to join. He is a rigorous teacher and gentle soul.” — Kate Watkins, Fellow Teacher
“Mr. Lewis stands out as an inspiring teacher. He has a talent for teaching a serious subject in a fun way while giving a lot of good information. He takes a lot of pride in his teaching and that is really appreciated.” — Ben Mesko, Student
“He’s the first teacher at school every morning. I have never seen him tired or bored, always engaging with the students. The students love him.” — Mark Adviento, Parent
“This teacher is amazing. My daughter says he uses acting while teaching. He’s very animated, but he’s tough too. He expects good grammar and spelling. I can now have detailed conversations with my daughter on the subject of history. We truly love this guy!” — Kris Vitale, Parent
“Mr. Lewis has given my step daughters a deep knowledge of history, guided them to masterfully handle his intensely challenging essay-only tests, and entertained them immensely along the way in dressing and acting the part of historical characters. They adored him and have retained a great deal of the knowledge he imparted, the lessons of hard work he demanded, and memories of how fun his class was that will last a lifetime. It’s hard for me to think of a greater gift one could give to the lives of student.” — Chad Morris, Parent
Lori Allen
Oak Grove Elementary, Aliso Viejo | 9 Nominations
“She is an amazing teacher and cheerleader to each child in a nurturing and organized atmosphere!” — Amy Pikula, Mother
“She truly develops the Whole Child. She continues to ask about my kids and cares about them, even though they are in upper grades. I knew that each day my children walked into her class, they would walk out knowing more, being more confident and becoming better people.” — Pamela Tupy, Mother
“She approached my concerns with genuine interest and helped my shy, unsocial son come out of his shell and participate in class. He became so eager to go to school he loved learning and now wants to be a writer when he grows up.” — Lydia Ruiz, Mother
“I look forward to volunteering in her class because she reminds me to be patient with my OWN boys. Her sense of humor is top notch. My son says, ‘Mom, Mrs. Allen is just like dad because she always says “thanks, dude”.’ Her ability to relate to kindergartners is awesome.” — Kristen Poulos, Mother
“Mrs. Allen is sweet and caring and makes me and all my friends love school. I feel lucky to know her!” — Noah Schot, Student
“Mrs. Allen is very nice. I wish she was still my teacher, but I am in 4th grade now. I like to go back and visit her. She is always smiling.” — Charlotte Gannon, Student
Lanie Carlos
Monarch Beach Montessori | 8 Nominations
“She treats her classroom like a family! My daughter is a shy child. She was afraid to talk to adults until she met Ms. Lanie. I asked my daughter why she can talk to Ms. Lanie but not other adults and she told me Ms. Lanie makes her feel comfortable. Ms. Lanie has provided my child a safe environment to have a voice. I am forever grateful.” — Tara Pinner, Parent
“Ms. Lanie is a ROCK STAR. There is no one more passionate, more dedicated and more loved by her students (and their parents!) than Ms. Lanie. Her classroom is inviting and warm, as is her demeanor – at all times! Ms. Lanie makes learning so pleasurable and it is truly rare to meet someone so genuine. When we grow up, we all want to be Ms. Lanie!” — Christine Parat, Parent
“Ms. Lanie is an angel. She taps into each child’s unique strengths and interests. She helps them unlock their own passion and develops their self-confidence. She encourages the children in a magical way to help them reach their full potential.” — Virginia Rupe, Parent
Vicki Mull
El Modena High School, Orange | 7 Nominations
“She pushes the kids to engage in life, engage with each other and be a valuable part of society. On her own time she helped my son get up to speed and helped integrate him into Elmo from a private school. She is always so positive and giving of her time, even with the parents.” — Deborah Redfern, Parent
“She is an amazing teacher and mentor. She has helped me in so many situations. She is the reason I was so successful in my educational career.” — Mackenzie Watkins, Former Student
“She’s an amazing person, who inspires her students to be great things.” — Daniel Cao, Former Student
“She inspired me every day to be my best. When I first took her class I was an antisocial geek that didn’t know how to socialize with almost anyone. By the end of the first year of her class, I was elected into our student ASB and an outgoing person. She builds character in all the students she works with. She is undoubtedly the teacher of a lifetime.” — Matthew Remis, Student
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