Woodland Teacher Named Yolo County Teacher of the Year

Woodland, CA - On September 26, the Yolo County School Boards Association (YCSBA) announced the 2022-2023 Yolo County Teacher of the Year. This year’s honor goes to Erica Chung, an English and music teacher at Woodland High School.

Chung was selected from among the nominated teachers from public, private and charter schools in Yolo County. Her selection was announced at the annual ‘Excellence in Education’ awards ceremony held at the Yolo County Office of Education in Woodland.

Born and raised in Woodland, Chung now works as a teacher in the same community in which she was raised. She notes that like a lot of her students, she was also born into an immigrant family and her father worked in the agricultural industry. She credits these experiences with being able to connect with her students.

Chung has worked for the Woodland Joint Unified School District since 2001 and this school year marks her 22nd year of teaching. After earning her teaching credential from Sacramento State in 2001, Chung started as an English teacher at Douglass Junior High School before transferring to Woodland High School in 2003.

Chung is an active member of her school community. For the past 12 years, Chung she served as co-coordinator for the campus’ Veterans Project, which invites local Veterans to be interviewed by students in the junior class. During her time of involvement, over 70 Veterans have participated in the project, with their military service ranging from serving during World War II to the war in Afghanistan.

Chung is also part of the school’s Agriculture Academy and assists with Woodland FFA. She also teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced piano.

Chung will now go on to represent Yolo County in the statewide California Teacher of the Year Program through the California Department of Education.

Chung was selected by a nominating committee that reviewed the submitted nominations for Teacher of the Year. Each candidate was evaluated on their contribution to school and community involvement, leadership and commitment, and local support from co-workers, school administrators, and community members.

In her nomination materials, school and district leaders shared their enthusiasm for selecting her as Teacher of the Year.

“Ms. Chung is a teacher of excellence,” said Eric Dyer, agriculture instructor at Woodland High School. “She is a highly qualified educational leader who is active in our school community. Students seek her classes as they are not only beneficial to their educational plans but she holds them to very high standards and yet is able to differentiate and scaffold her instruction to meet all students’ needs.”

“Ms. Chung is an amazing teacher who demonstrates excellent performance and goes above and beyond for our students,” said Peter Lambert, principal at Woodland High School. “She is definitely a great asset to our school and we’re all proud to congratulate her on her stellar achievement.”

The Yolo County School Boards Association works to increase public awareness and appreciation of educational efforts in Yolo County. YCSBA maintains a website on the Yolo County Office of Education webpage at www.ycoe.org/ycsba.