Trio Named Kern County Teachers of the Year Finalists

The Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) office announced the three finalists for the prestigious 2025 Kern County Teacher of the Year award, while also recognizing dozens of outstanding local educators as part of its annual Kern County Education Champions of the Year celebration Tuesday evening at the DoubleTree Bakersfield.

During the ceremony, 60 teachers from every corner of Kern County were recognized for being named Teachers of the Year at their respective school districts. After being vetted by the selection committee, whose members screened multiple nomination documents and performed site visits, Frederick Arbon, Danyel Dahlen, and April Raguindin rose to the top and were named Kern County Teacher of the Year finalists. The trio is now eligible to apply for the California Teacher of the Year program.

“This annual recognition event is an important reminder of the extraordinary people working every day to shape the future of our community through education,” said Kern County Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Mendiburu. “We congratulate all of our honorees and celebrate their impact on students and their families in our community.”

In addition to the three Teacher of the Year finalists, nine outstanding Classified Employees of the Year were honored during the ceremony. Each of the 12 finalists received a $500 cash award, made possible through the generous support of Valley Strong Credit Union, whose partnership helps bring this celebration to life.

Frederick Arbon: An Advocate, Mentor, and Believer in Every Student’s Potential

At Irving L. Branch Elementary on Edwards Air Force Base, Frederick Arbon’s classroom is more than just a learning space — it’s a place where students feel safe, valued, and empowered. A special education teacher serving grades 3 through 6 in the Muroc Joint Unified School District, Arbon brings a deeply personal perspective to his work, shaped by experience, adversity, and an unwavering belief in his students.

“I’m here to help you. But you’ve got to let me,” Arbon once told a struggling student named Dywane. “I know you can do better than this, you’re capable of so much more than you think.”

That moment, he recalled in a letter to the Kern County Teacher of the Year Committee, marked a turning point. Dywane, a young boy with multiple diagnoses and severe behavioral challenges, went on to transition into general education and make the honor roll — an outcome Arbon credits to trust, consistency, and believing in a student others had nearly given up on.

His impact left a deep impression on Dywane’s mother, Tai Leathers.

“Mr. Arbon was my son’s special education teacher for nearly three years, and I believe it saved my son’s life,” she said.

Arbon’s calling to education began in the Philippines, where he taught for seven years with minimal resources, inspired by a family member with severe autism. “Watching her grow up without access to the help she deserved opened my eyes early to the gaps in our system,” he wrote in his professional biography. “Eventually, I realized that someone had to be me.”

After moving to the United States in 2017 as an international teacher, Arbon continued to face challenges — learning a new system, navigating a new culture, and constantly proving himself.

“There were moments I felt like giving up and moments I questioned if I belonged,” he reflected. “But going through those challenges made me stronger, not just as a teacher but as a person.”

That growth led him not only to succeed in his own classroom but to mentor new international teachers facing similar hurdles.

Arbon now serves in multiple leadership roles. He is the school’s Student Success Team (SST) Coordinator, creating support plans for students who are struggling emotionally or academically, and also acts as Admin Designee, stepping in to support staff and students in the principal’s absence. In addition, he facilitates IEP meetings and represents staff as a union site representative.

“If you were to visit my classroom on any given day, you’d find a group of students who feel safe, valued, and confident in what they can do,” Arbon said.

His approach emphasizes daily check-ins, growth mindset reflections, and social-emotional learning, ensuring students are not only learning but growing as people. Through a schoolwide intervention he created, general education students regularly visit his classroom for “quick check-ins or check-outs” — a space to “pause, talk, and refocus.” It’s just one example of how Arbon extends support far beyond his own caseload.

“I’m proud to be someone others can count on in the classroom and across our school community,” he said. I’m proof that even when things are hard, you can overcome, grow, and make a difference.”

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Danyel Dahlen: Breaking Barriers in Special Education

For more than 25 years, Danyel Dahlen has built a reputation as a teacher who sees potential in every student and creates the conditions for that potential to thrive. As a special education teacher at Pioneer School in the Delano Union Elementary School District, she has been named a finalist for the 2025 Kern County Teacher of the Year in recognition of her leadership in inclusive education and advocacy for students with learning differences.

Dahlen’s approach blends rigorous academic instruction with personalized support. In her classroom, students engage in self-reflection, co-create learning goals, and learn to articulate their individual needs—tools that serve them far beyond the school day. She believes that the divide between general and special education is largely artificial and that effective teaching transcends labels.

“The distinction between ‘special’ and ‘general’ education exists on paper,” she said “But in practice, excellent teaching transcends these boundaries. I see myself simply as an educator devoted to the success of every student who walks through my classroom doors.”

Her commitment to student empowerment is perhaps best illustrated in the story of Leonardo, a former student who arrived in her classroom as a reluctant reader with behavioral challenges. During a writing assignment on personal heroes, Leonardo told her, “I don’t have any heroes. Nobody like me ever does anything important.”

Rather than accept that mindset, Dahlen saw an opportunity. She and Leonardo began researching public figures who had overcome learning challenges, and one story in particular resonated: actor Keanu Reeves, who had been diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. As Leonardo read more about Reeves’ journey, his entire demeanor changed. He began to see his learning difference not as a limitation, but as one aspect of his identity.

For a culminating class project on point of view, Leonardo presented to a room full of students — an audience of peers from general education classrooms. He stood confidently and concluded his presentation by saying, “My learning disability is just part of who I am. It doesn’t decide what I can achieve.”

Leonardo’s reading level improved by two grade levels that year, but more importantly, his self-concept was transformed. Today, he owns and operates his own construction company in Utah — a testament to the belief instilled in him during his time in Dahlen’s classroom.

This focus on literacy, voice, and advocacy defines Dahlen’s teaching. In math, she co-teaches with general education instructors to design lessons accessible to students with a range of learning profiles. Her classroom incorporates tactile tools, digital platforms, and multi-step problem-solving, ensuring every student can engage deeply with grade-level content.

Outside the classroom, Dahlen mentors student teachers, coaches new educators, and has led professional development on writing strategies and self-advocacy instruction. She co-created “Write All the Way,” a structured writing program adopted by her district, and co-authored a published research article based on her graduate work in special education.

“My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that all students can learn when provided appropriate support, engaging instruction, and a nurturing environment that embraces their individuality,” she said.

The culture she’s created reflects this mission. Dahlen intentionally builds her classroom around belonging, respect, and growth, with expectations and routines designed in collaboration with her students. While structure is essential, flexibility remains a cornerstone — allowing her to meet individual needs while encouraging students to take academic risks. Mistakes are not seen as failures, but as stepping stones to mastery, an idea captured in her classroom mantra: “We don’t say ‘I can’t do this’; we say ‘I can’t do this yet.’”

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April Raguindin Turns Classrooms and Gardens into Gateways for Growth

When students step into April Raguindin’s first-grade classroom at Dr. Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary, they enter a world designed to nourish minds and hearts alike. Whether it’s planting seeds in the garden, writing daily news on the classroom board, or reading side by side in a cozy library corner, every moment is a chance to grow. This holistic, hands-on approach to education has earned Raguindin a well-deserved spot as a 2025 Kern County Teacher of the Year finalist.

“My greatest educational contribution has been establishing our Edible School Yard program at Fletcher,” Raguindin said. “It started as a dream, but now it’s a reality.”

What began as a few garden beds has expanded into a vibrant program featuring a hydroponic farm, an electric composter, and a teaching kitchen built from a converted staff lounge.

“The students learn to cultivate the garden, harvest, and cook the vegetables they have grown,” she said. “Students follow a recipe, set a table, and eat together. They develop confidence and learn to be stewards of the earth and helpful community members.”

Beyond hands-on science and nutrition lessons, Raguindin’s true focus is nurturing relationships.

“I believe that the most successful teachers are those who care about their students, their homes, and their families,” she said. “I care, I ask questions, I listen. I take the time to nurture those bonds because they are important to me.”

Outside of the classroom, Raguindin’s impact is as apparent. She mentors through the Kern Urban Teacher Residency program and has hosted student teachers from both CSUB and Point Loma Nazarene University. She is also a curriculum contributor to California Educators Together and has begun facilitating conferences and reviewing standards-aligned lessons submitted by educators from across the state.

“Her passion, innovation, and commitment to excellence make her truly deserving of this honor,” said Principal Denise Flowers, who commended Raguindin’s “extraordinary dedication, innovative teaching, and positive impact on both students and colleagues,” adding that she is a leader on the school’s leadership team, School Site Council, and in the Extended Learning Program.

Dylan Wilson, executive director of Edible Schoolyard Kern County, also praised Raguindin’s leadership.

“She is not only shaping young minds but also transforming lives through her pioneering approach to teaching,” he said. “By teaching students the full seed-to-table cycle, she is instilling invaluable lessons on sustainability, nutrition, and lifelong wellness — not only for students but for their families as well.”

For Raguindin, it all comes back to creating a sense of belonging and purpose.

“Students know my class is an open door,” she wrote. “When I walk down the halls, students of all ages come to talk and say hi, they share stories, and give hugs. As I become a more veteran teacher, the students who come back to see me get older and older. I know I have made a lasting impact on their lives and that is inspiring.”

In nurturing the whole child — and the whole community — Raguindin exemplifies what it truly means to teach, to lead, and to inspire.

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Kern County Teacher of the Year District Nominees

Krista Ackerknecht – Emerson Middle School, Bakersfield City School District
Frederick Arbon – Irving Branch Elementary School, Muroc Joint Union School District
Cynthia Ayala – Delano High School, Delano Joint Union High School District
Lola Behling – Shirley Lane Elementary School, Fairfax School District
Mark Bell – Wasco High School, Wasco Union High School District
Casey Briggs – Donald E. Suburu Elementary School, Lakeside Union School District
Jana Chambers – Kern Avenue Elementary School, McFarland Unified School District
Carol Chavez – Old River Elementary School, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District
Rocky Churchman – Frontier High School, Kern High School District
Vernon Clark – Foothill High School, Kern High School District
Kelsey Coleman – South High School, Kern High School District
Maria Collatz – Stockdale High School, Kern High School District
Ed Crosby – Golden Valley High School, Kern High School District
Katie Crosby-Venegas – Chipman Junior High School, Bakersfield City School District
Danyel Dahlen – Pioneer School, Delano Union School District
Stan Davis – Independence High School, Kern High School District
Veronica DeLeon – Sierra Middle School, Bakersfield City School District
Amanda Duke – North Kern Community School, Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Nancy Frazier – Tierra Del Sol Continuation High School, Kern High School District
Julia Garcia – Shafter High School, Kern High School District
Tiffany Garcia – Veterans Elementary School, Norris School District
Stephanie Gatlin – East Bakersfield High School, Kern High School District
Joel Greenhaw – Wallace and Kernville Elementary Schools, Kernville Union School District
Kim Halbrook – Ridgeview High School, Kern High School District
Louise Hamill – California City High School, Mojave Unified School District
Alicia Hammons – Centennial High School, Kern High School District
Kim Handel – El Camino Real Elementary School, Arvin Union School District
Elvira Hernandez – Voorhies Elementary School, Bakersfield City School District
Yolanda Horne – Roy W. Loudon Elementary School, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District
Mario Lizarraga – Regional Occupational Center, Kern High School District
Sarah Long – Taft Union High School, Taft Union High School District
Cynthia Machado – Crescent Elementary School, Greenfield Union School District
Robert Miner – South Fork Middle School, South Fork Union School District
Shelby Munn – Kern Valley High School, Kern High School District
Nick Onaindia – West High School, Kern High School District
Hector Sanchez Ortiz – Highland High School, Kern High School District
Christine Pierce – Highland Elementary School, Standard School District
Amanda Pietruszka – Del Oro High School, Kern High School District
Tangie Piper – W. A. Kendrick Elementary School, Greenfield Union School District
Nick Preston – O. J. Actis Junior High School, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District
April Raguindin – Dr. Douglas Fletcher Elementary School, Bakersfield City School District
Sonia Rangel – Buttonwillow Elementary School, Buttonwillow Union School District
Fran Richards – American Elementary School, Rosedale Union School District
Laurie Rodriguez – Palm Avenue Middle School, Wasco Union Elementary School District
Hilary Romo – Tehachapi High School, Tehachapi Unified School District
Griselda H. Sanchez – Bakersfield High School, Kern High School District
Kristianna Serrano – Vista High School, Kern High School District
Devin Shaffer – Richland Junior High, Richland Union School District
Christina Silvas – Alicante Avenue Elementary School, Lamont Elementary School District
Anissa Smith – North High School, Kern High School District
Shauna Tinich – Tropico Middle School, Southern Kern Unified School District
Hilda Torres – Semitropic Elementary School, Semitropic School District
Sandi Torres – Mira Monte High School, Kern High School District
Stephanie Valenzuela – Arvin High School, Kern High School District
Perry Ware – Liberty High School, Kern High School District
Penny Wheeler – Dai Break School, Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Michelle Willmon – Rio Bravo Greeley School, Rio Bravo-Greeley Union School District
Melissa Wingle – Elk Hills Elementary School, Elk Hills School District

Classified Employees of the Year

Oscar Bravo – Technical Services, Delano Union School District
Carolyn Hemingway – Health and Student Services, Kern High School District/South High School
Marisela Ibarra – South High School/Clerical and Administrative Services, Kern High School District
Pablo Madera – Skilled Trades, Lamont Elementary School District
Dolores Medrano – Paraprofessional, Buttonwillow Union School District
Gina Moore – Security Services, Rosedale Union School District
Edgar Ricalday – Custodial and Maintenance Services, Lamont Elementary School District/Alicante Elem.
Billy Stamper – Transportation Services, Kern High School District
Dawna Wilder – Food and Nutrition Services, Bakersfield City School District
Robert Wright – Custodial and Maintenance Services, Kern High School District