Ms. Deborah Andrus, an English and English Language Development teacher formerly at Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, CA, now teaches in the Hemet Unified School District. She has taught for eighteen years and has led her school departments in a number of areas. In addition to many school leadership roles, Ms. Andrus has served as a teacher mentor for beginning teacher colleagues, a master teacher for a number of university programs, and has been named “Teacher of the Year” by her schools, districts, and counties. When interviewed, Ms. Andrus said, “Over my eighteen years, I have developed a passion for my curriculum, but a compassion for my students. Each student has a story, full of importance and purpose. My job is to help each student create their own story of success. I have had an amazing career as an educator of the most vibrant, most brilliant young people–even when they are faced with tremendous mountains to climb–they allow me to be in their lives and to be their cheerleader to share their accomplishments and their afflictions. They have each left me a better human being.”
-Published 2022
