PLEASANT HILL, Calif. — Tickets for the 51st Annual Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year (TOY) celebration on Thursday, September 21, 2023, are available for purchase. Twenty-one teachers from across the county will be honored at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek. At the end of the program, two Contra Costa County Teachers of the Year winners will be announced.
The TOY celebration starts at 6 p.m. Adult tickets are $25 each and youth tickets are priced at $15. Ticket prices will increase after Labor Day. In addition to the celebration at the Lesher, a Donor VIP reception for the teachers will take place at The Garden in Walnut Creek from 4-5:30 p.m. Reception tickets are $60 each and include admission to the celebration. Event parking (for the reception and celebration) is available in the Locust Street garage, next to the Lesher.
Proceeds from ticket sales help provide classroom grants to all 21 recognized teachers. We are grateful to Travis Credit Union, our corporate-level sponsor and additional sponsors who make these events and the classroom grants possible. More information about the teacher of the year program is available on the Contra Costa County Office of Education website.
The educators being recognized at the celebration are their school district’s teacher of the year; four are county finalists: Joseph Alvarico (Mt. Diablo Unified School District/Ygnacio Valley High School), Annalouisa Gonzalez-Ortega (Liberty Union High School District/Freedom High School), Patricia Ogura (West Contra Costa Unified School District/Hercules Middle School and Hercules High School) and Danya Townsend (Mt. Diablo Unified School District/Olympic High School).
2023-2024 Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Nominees:
- Evan Sebree, Acalanes Union High School District, Acalanes Center for Independent Study
- Pam Swicegood, Antioch High School, Antioch Unified School District
- Elizabeth McGinn, Brentwood Union School District, Garwin Elementary School
- Chelsea Toon, Byron Union School District, Discovery Bay Elementary School
- Jacqui Mosqueira, Contra Costa County Office of Education, Deaf/HH Education Specialist
- Alissa Persky, John Swett Unified School District, Rodeo Hills Elementary School
- Cathy Templeton, Knightsen Elementary School District, Old River Elementary School
- Abigail Ehrhorn, Lafayette School District, Burton Valley Elementary School
- Annalouisa Gonzalez-Ortega, Liberty Union High School District, Freedom High School
- Paula Parker, Martinez Unified School District, John Muir Elementary School
- Michael Adler, Moraga School District, Camino Pablo Elementary School
- Joseph Alvarico, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Ygnacio Valley High School
- Danya Townsend, Mt. Diablo Unified School District, Olympic High School
- Lee Ann Dike, Oakley Union Elementary School District, Vintage Park Elementary School
- Beth Traub, Pittsburg Unified School District, Pittsburg High School
- Ashley Fabro, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Golden View Elementary
- Chris Connor, San Ramon Valley Unified School District, Monte Vista High School
- Barbara Albaugh, Walnut Creek School District, Walnut Creek Intermediate
- Patricia Ogura, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Hercules Middle/High School
- Maria Dizon, West Contra Costa Unified School District, Michelle Obama Elementary School
- Robert Hawkins, Contra Costa Community College District, Diablo Valley College
Notes regarding eligible participants:
- 18 of the 21 Contra Costa County school districts are represented, along with CCCOE and the community college district, and participating in this year’s TOY program.
- Each year, one instructor from Contra Costa Community College District is submitted to the TOY program for their outstanding body of work with their designated college. The representatives rotate each year between Diablo Valley, Los Medanos, and Contra Costa colleges. These instructors do not participate in the state competition but will be recognized at the county’s celebration.
- Due to the larger number of students and teachers in their districts, Mt. Diablo, San Ramon Valley, and West Contra Costa unified school districts are allowed to submit two candidates.
In addition to celebrating the teachers, the evening highlights the best of what public education in the county has to offer with student performances from Hercules High School (West Contra Costa Unified School District) and Liberty High School (Liberty Union High School District).
For more information on the Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year program or to donate, visit cocoschools.org/toy. Follow CCCOE on social media at @cocoschools.
Previous Stories:
- April 17: Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Finalists Announced
- April 12: Contra Costa County Name Top Educators as Teachers of the Year
