SC Educators Honored for Service to Students

Santa Cruz County superintendents select “Educators of the Year”

 Three educators from around Santa Cruz County have been honored by the County Office of Education as part of its annual Educator Recognition Program.

The three who were designated “Educator of the Year” in their respective categories are teacher Kate Mullikin of Shoreline Middle School, administrator Carol Polhamus of the Santa Cruz County Alternative Education Program and classified (non-teaching) employee Patty Switzer of Santa Cruz City Schools.

Honorees were nominated by co-workers and the finalists were selected by school superintendents from every district of Santa Cruz County.

Mullikin is an art and English teacher who “clearly shows how much she cares for each individual student in every interaction,” according to those who nominated her. She was cited for expanding the school’s art program “exponentially,” and has even taken students to see the work of world-renowned artists. Her own students’ artwork has been displayed at venues around Santa Cruz County, including the Live Oak Library. She also serves on the school’s union negotiating team.

Polhamus is the project director of Career and Technical Education in the Alternative Ed program. She has worked with at-risk youth across the county. In addition to teaching students skills to help them get jobs, she has helped in the opening of two “Green Schools” to train and support students headed to environmentally aware occupations. A co-worker said, “Countless students and families have benefited over the past three decades from Carol’s relentless efforts to support students.”

Switzer is the Santa Cruz City Schools District liaison to migrant families. She meets with students and parents in their homes or at farm labor camps to find out their specific needs. She arranges for bus passes, medical and dental appointments, glasses and even food. In one case, she noticed that attendance was slipping, and discovered that a number of migrant families were affected when bus-transportation subsidies were cut. She was able to appeal all the way to the Migrant Regional Director in Santa Clara and finally was able to restore the funding. A colleague noted, “She is a role model. Migrant families respect her … and they like her because she selflessly and respectfully serves them.”

The three educators were recognized with plaques honoring their “commitment to students” at the April 12^th Board of Trustees meeting at the County Office of Education.