SBCEO’s Annual Education Celebration Recognizes Exceptional Educators from across Santa Barbara County

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SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CA – Extraordinary educators from schools and districts across Santa Barbara County were honored at the 2025 Education Celebration event held on the evening of Thursday, May 22, 2025. Hosted by the Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO), the event highlighted nearly 100 grant and award winners for their contributions to the education profession and service to school communities. 

It was a packed house at Craft House at Corque in Solvang – filled with educators, school board members, business partners, and guests – all there to celebrate the recipients of a long and mighty list of awards and grants: Crystal Apple Educator Awards; Bill Cirone Heart of Education Award; Marvin Melvin Career Technical Educator Awards; Care for Our Earth Grants; Instructional Strategy Team Grants; Curriculum Project Grants; Multilingual/Multicultural Curriculum Project Grants; Performing Arts Curriculum Project Grants; Collaborative Learning Team Grants; and TeachNet Technology Grants. The outgoing and incoming Santa Barbara County Teachers of the Year and the 2024-25 California Agriculture Educator of the Year, Marc DeBernardi, were also recognized.

Recipients were selected by SBCEO’s Teachers Network, which has provided $1.5 million in grants and awards since its establishment in 1983. Grants were awarded to individual and teams of teacher applicants for the development of new instructional strategies, projects, and collaborative approaches to support student learning in all subject areas, including literacy, dual language immersion, environmental science, performing arts, mathematics, and technology integration. 

“Each year, our SBCEO Education Celebration event provides us with the opportunity to recognize the exemplary education staff and innovative practices shining throughout our county’s schools. We are honored to recognize outstanding educators and staff who make a lasting impact on the lives of their students,” said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido.

The event included a special performance by the Santa Barbara Junior High School Advanced Theatre group, directed by 2025 Santa Barbara Bowl Performing Arts Teacher of the Year, Rich Lashua, and Mary La Face, Vocal Director, Santa Barbara High School. Emcees for the evening were Susan Salcido, Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools, and Ellen Barger, Associate Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction, Santa Barbara County Education Office.

Among the evening’s speakers was 2025 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year, Laura Branch, who, in speaking to her colleagues in the room, shared: “It has been my absolute pleasure serving as our County’s Teacher of the Year. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity and for all your support.”

Award recipients are listed below by category:

Crystal Apple Educator Awards

• Administrator:
• Celeste Pico, Lompoc High School, Lompoc Unified School District
• Certificated specialists:

• Amy McMillan, San Marcos High School, Santa Barbara Unified School District
• Alana Terrones, Santa Maria-Bonita School District
• Classified employees:

• Allegra Perry, Mountain View School, Goleta Union School District
• Nicole Zarate, Delta High School, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
• Elementary teachers:

• Dr. Terri Cecchine, La Honda STEAM Academy, Lompoc Unified School District
• Anna Christine Thompson, Liberty Elementary School, Santa Maria-Bonita School District
• Secondary teachers:

• Morgan Kavanaugh, Santa Maria High School, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
• Ronnie Tow, Santa Ynez School, College School District
• Early Care & Education
• Anita Reyes Rolon, Children’s Center Lab School, Allan Hancock College

Bill Cirone Heart of Education Award

• Ricardo A. Gabaldón, Jr., Ernest Righetti High School, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District

Marvin Melvin Career Technical Educator Awards

• Glen Holmes, Mark Richardson Career Technical Education Center & Agricultural Farm, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District
• Gary Semerdjian, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District

For the full list of award and grant recipients and details on our generous sponsors and community partners, please visit: http://www.sbceo.org/educationcelebration.

SBCEO appreciates the generous partners that provided funding for this year’s event, grants, and award recipients (listed alphabetically): Altrusa International Foundation-Santa Maria, Chevron, Cox Communications, Deckers, Fielding Graduate University, Frank Schipper Construction Company, Melfred Borzall, Rusty’s Pizza Parlor, Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara County Water Agency, Santa Barbara Teachers Federal Credit Union, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Towbes Foundation, and TRADART Foundation.

SBCEO hosts two annual educator recognition events: Education Celebration and A Salute to Teachers in the Fall.