Ruben Guzman, Sunrise math teacher and assistant principal, was honored as a finalist in the four-county Region 5  nomination for California Teacher of the Year, a program of the California League of Middle Schools.

Mr. Guzman was honored last night at a dinner in Morgan Hill. He has been a teacher for eight years, the last half of those here at Sunrise.

In his acceptance speech Mr. Guzman spoke about the future of education: “Together, as educators, parents, and community leaders, we can shape a brighter, more inclusive future—one where every child believes they can succeed, and their growth reflects the care and commitment of those who guide them.”

Sunrise, in entering his nomination, said Guzman is “an amazing teacher who has a special talent for coming up with rigorous lessons that are relevant to our students’ backgrounds, highly engaging and written with a social justice lens.” Guzman also has guided his students to high growth on state and local testing and helps lead the school in numerous ways.