Vacaville teacher, Benicia skills trades technician take home SCOE awards
Laura Roberts
Laura Roberts, who served time in the military prior to teaching, took home the top educator award.
She grew up in Vacaville, graduating from Will C. Wood High School. Roberts referred to herself as one of the students who fell through the cracks.
After her military service, she discovered a passion for her history and decided her career should be teaching the topic.
Roberts, in the virtual presentation, said she thinks history is more than just memorizing dates.
Bringing in under-represented voices was key, she said.
Roberts fought for ethnic studies classes, saying they are the counter-narrative to traditional history.
FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
This image shows this year s teachers of the year for the various school districts in Solano County. (Courtesy photo)
SCOE to honor top 2021-22 educators, school staff
The certificated educators nominated are:
Kelly Hughes, a fifth-grade teacher in the Benicia School District; Jenny Campbell, a response to intervention and English language development K-3 teacher at Dixon School District; Joseph Arbizu, a math, Algebra II, integrated math and geometry high school teacher in the Fairfield-Suisun School District; Ronald Major, a multiple-subjects (8-12), teacher for the Solano County Office of Education; Kylie Negin, an English and journalism high school teacher in the Travis School District; Laura Roberts, a U.S. history and ethnic studies (11-12) teacher at Vacaville School District; and Vivet Beckford-Nelson, a biology and engineering design and development high school teacher in the Vallejo City School District.