Top Teacher and Employee Awards

2026 WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED

Each year we ask you our readers to submit nominations for those educators, employees, and administrators that consistently go above and beyond the call of duty. Those who innovate, dare to make a change at their schools. Those who inspire students and other staff members to reach their full potential. Those who meet education challenges head-on. Orange County is fortunate enough to have so many extraordinary schools.

2026 marks our 13th Annual School Heroes — Top Teachers, Top Employees and Top Leaders — of Orange County Awards and Issue. With more than 200 principal-approved nominations last year, we were impressed as we are year after year with the caliber of teachers, employees and administrators that are clearly making the lives of our students and families so much better. We even expanded our criteria to include all kinds of education — from private and public to alternative and online schools — and the response was truly overwhelming. 

All the 2026 winners are featured in the March magazine.