San Diego Teacher Receives Inaugural Sanford Teacher Award

Karem is one of five PreK-12 teachers who are being recognized as part of the launch of a national competition to recognize inspiring teachers from each state

San Diego, CA – In recognition of teachers who inspire students to achieve their greatest potential, National University System has launched the first annual Sanford Teacher Award, a half-million dollar award campaign to honor 50 of the nation’s top inspiring PreK-12 teachers. Angela Karem, a transitional kindergarten teacher at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in San Diego County’s Chula Vista Elementary School District, is among five inaugural Sanford Teacher Award recipients who have demonstrated a commitment to creating inspirational and harmonious classrooms that support student development and achievement. The Sanford Teacher Award will award the top inspirational teacher in each state with $10,000, with the exception of one top teacher who will be named a national winner and receive a grand award of $50,000.

To celebrate the Sanford Teacher Award launch, five remarkable educators who have been identified as representing the key characteristics of inspiring teaching are being recognized throughout the country as inaugural recipients of the Sanford Teacher Award. These five inaugural Award recipients are being announced in upcoming weeks as part of the campaign’s ongoing teacher outreach activities through the Oct. 22 award submission deadline. With nearly 20 years of experience in education, Karem, who is the third inaugural Sanford Teacher Award recipient to be announced, was chosen for her continued enthusiasm for teaching and dedication creating meaningful learning experiences for her students through engaging social emotional learning curriculum, such as the Sanford Harmony Program.

The five will support efforts in raising awareness of the national Sanford Teacher Awards competition, leading up to the announcement of the 50 winners in November.

“There is no higher calling than being a teacher, and as the teacher workforce is under heavy demands, it is important to provide educators ongoing professional development that supports and inspires them in their classrooms,” said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, Chancellor of the National University System, a network of nonprofit education institutions that serve lifelong learners from PreK to graduate level.

As the nation faces an increasing teacher shortage exacerbated by teacher retention challenges, the PreK-12 Sanford Inspire offers a toolkit of research-based teaching methodologies, and on-demand, self-guided modules that are accessible online to help teachers create inspiring classroom environments that encourage students to succeed. The Sanford College of Education at National University, which is part of the National University System, is also a leader among a growing number of universities that have integrated Inspire principles into their teacher education curriculum. Sanford Harmony is a PreK-6 research-based social-emotional learning program that cultivates strong classroom relationships between all students. Sanford Harmony has been recognized by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as a quality program, and is reaching more than a million students nationwide, including in the largest school districts, through easy-to-integrate lessons, activity cards and story books that encourage students to develop empathy, communication skills, and positive peer relationships by learning how to collaborate and look beyond perceived differences.

The criteria for selecting 50 winners, which will be announced by November, 2018, is based on the following characteristics of inspiring teaching: Enthusiasm for teaching; empathy and warmth towards all students; fosters positive relationships with all students; creates a positive learning environment; and recognizes student strengths. The finalists’ nominations form will be reviewed by a selection committee based at National University in La Jolla, California.

About the National University System
The National University System is a network of accredited nonprofit education institutions serving higher education and K-12 students that includes National University, Northcentral University, and City University of Seattle. Established in 2001 to meet the emerging challenges and demands of education in the 21st century, the network’s complementary universities offer pathways for students to attain professional and terminal degrees through quality and innovative programs delivered in a format that is flexible to the needs of adult learners. The anchor institution, National University, was founded in in 1971 and is among the largest private, nonprofit institutions of higher education in California with more than 230,000 alumni.