SAN DIEGO COUNTY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR TO BE HONORED DURING 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'COX PRESENTS: A SALUTE TO TEACHERS'

The five San Diego County Teachers of the Year were selected based on criteria including student progress, school-community involvement, teaching philosophy and commitment to lifelong learning. They were chosen by a panel of past Teacher of the Year honorees, education administrators and a parent representative. 

The 2020-21 San Diego County Teachers of the Year are:

●      Arah Allard, Del Mar Hills Elementary School, Del Mar Union School District

●      Christine Hill, Ramona High School, Ramona Unified School District

●      Jose Melo, Valley Center Middle School, Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District

●      Paula Richardson, Wilson Middle School, San Diego Unified School District

●      Jay Tweet, El Capitan High School, Grossmont Union High School District

Since its inception in 1991,“Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers” has been an in-person black-tie awards show with celebrity presenters and student performances, and televised live on YurView. For this special 30^th anniversary, the show will instead air as a pre-recorded television special honoring the San Diego County Teachers of the Year as well as catching up with past winners as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of a global pandemic, as well as social and political unrest. The television special will also share stories from students and parents about the new-found appreciation they have for the teachers in their lives, and of course take a look back at the impressive 30-year history of “Cox Presents: A Salute To Teachers,” which has received dozens of Emmys and other awards honoring the best in television.

“We’re excited to once again shine the spotlight on the amazing teachers we have in San Diego County, and their dedication to their students and their profession, especially during this challenging year of distance learning,” said Sam Attisha, Senior Vice President and Region Manager for Cox Communications. “Just as the classroom looks different this year due to the pandemic, so will our show. But we’ll still capture the passion, creativity, and innovation of San Diego County’s 26,000 public school teachers. As a company founded by a teacher, we’re proud to continue a 30-year tradition of highlighting our county’s teachers of the year and all the district nominees, and we thank the sponsors who share our commitment to education and have returned to show their support for our teaching community.”

Sponsors of the 30th annual “Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers” include: 

●      Presenting Sponsor: San Diego County Credit Union

●      Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation

●      Procopio 

●      The San Diego Union-Tribune

●      The Mightier 1090

●      iHeartRadio 

“’Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers’ has always provided an exciting platform to showcase the incredible work being done by teachers across San Diego County,” said County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Gothold. “Teaches are working harder than ever to make sure that students are learning and their social and emotional needs are met. It’s important that we continue to celebrate the profession and recognize the accomplishments of our County Teachers of the Year honorees as well as all of the nominees.”

“SDCCU is proud to support and recognize the excellent work of the invaluable educators in our community through our sponsorship of ‘A Salute to Teachers,” said SDCCU President and CEO Teresa Campbell. “We understand the critical role teachers play in helping to shape the future of today’s youth and are grateful for their efforts. This year our teachers have faced great uncertainty and unprecedented challenges, and we applaud their tireless devotion and commitment to their classrooms and the community.”

“Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers” will be televised on YurView (Cox Channel 4/1004 and Spectrum Channel 4) at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020. The show will live stream at Yurview.com/SalutetoTeachers. Check the Yurview website for future replay dates 

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. The largest private telecom company in America, we proudly serve six million homes and businesses across 18 states. We’re dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that makes each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.