The goal of the Inland Empire Council for Social Studies is to highlight educational excellence in the Inland Region and to recognize the hard work, contributions and best practices in History and Social Science. Some of the characteristics they look for in a nominee is that the teacher inspire students to perform at high levels and show good citizenship, use creative strategies to fully engage students, promote advanced social-science thinking, and someone who shows leadership beyond school, such as, helping students participate in opportunities like History Day, living history, service learning and mock trials.
Virginia has been an employee of HUSD for 14 years. She worked as a Special Education Teacher at Hamilton High School for four years, taught at Alessandro HS for three years and has been at AOI since 2015. Principal John Bradshaw says she is a dedicated and passionate teacher whose contributions to the AOI school community have been immeasurable. She has a unique ability to engage and inspire her students, and she consistently goes above and beyond to create a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. She has a deep knowledge of the subject matter and is always looking for creative and effective ways to present complex concepts. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and share her expertise with colleagues and is considered to be a model educator. We are proud that her work is being recognized and celebrate her success and positive impact on our students.