Kern names Teachers of the Year finalists
May 2—Three educators were recognized Tuesday among the county's upper-crust at this year's celebration of Kern's Teachers of the Year.
The winners are Veronica Karr, a Rosamond High Early College Campus English teacher; Yazmin Herrera, an Almond Tree Middle School 6th grade special education teacher; and Brian Devitt, an economics and math teacher at Stockdale High School.
According to Malaika Bryant, director of educator development at the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, selecting the honorees this year was challenging, and committee members struggled to deliberate among a batch of teachers they felt were all first-rate.
"The bar was really high to begin with," Bryant said, adding that each nominee was already a decided district teacher of the year. Seventeen of the 56 nominees submitted a portfolio that outlined their scope of work, to include essays, video and a formal application.
Finalists were selected from the 56-person pool of nominees, following a formal review and multiple interviews conducted by a panel of educators and community members. This pool comes from the 9,000 educators countywide who serve more than 200,000 students.
"Let's take a moment today to recognize that these 56 teachers have risen to the top of 9,000 in Kern County," said KCSOS Deputy Superintendent Lisa Gilbert.
Overall, what swayed the decision was not so much a teacher's skill or classroom tenure, but a particular program or challenge in the past year that demonstrated second-to-none excellence.
"We're not saying one is better than another," Bryant said. "We just focused on who really resonated with their work this year and we can really see the significant impact the three finalists made."
The pandemic alone has demonstrated what has long been known — that schools serve as a community catch-all for resources far beyond just teaching and learning. Educators are increasingly charged with adapting their lessons to the deluge of mental health problems among adolescents.
"When I was a child, my family frequently moved from place to place," said Superintendent of Schools Mary Barlow. "And while I got to see many parts of our beautiful country, those moves were often destructive. School always brought me comfort. I found that it offered one constant — one caring adult in the classroom that I could always count on."
The three finalists have a combined 55 years of experience in Kern County schools. In his 19 years with the Kern High School District, Devitt has served in both educational and administrative roles. From 2019-2023, Devitt led students under Stockdale High's Virtual Enterprise team to consistently rank nationally, with the exception of third place in a 2020 statewide contest.
Herrera has been spoken of as a fierce advocate who works tirelessly for special education students who often require extra care and attention.
"'She is adding so much value to her community. She is poised, professional and dedicated, an incredible educator with a passion for helping,'" Bryant read of the committee's comments on Herrera's portfolio.
And halfway through her third decade of teaching English, Karr has been a mentor not just to students, but also to new teachers. As chair of her school's English Department, Karr is recognized for a reformation of the department's work culture to embrace collaboration. She also led efforts in restoring the school library.
The Kern finalists may now vie for the California Teacher of the Year program in August. From the three applications, the two most competitive candidates will be submitted to the California Department of Education for state recognition.
