Sara Wyffels, a Spanish teacher at Chandler High School, was named Arizona’s 2021 Teacher of the Year during a live-streamed program hosted Friday by the Arizona Educational Foundation.
Wyffels earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in teaching from the University of Portland.
Wyffels said her love of languages was sparked by her study abroad experience in college. She is passionate about teaching the power of human connections through the Spanish language. Wyffels teaches Spanish, International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement classes at Chandler High. She said she considers herself and her students global citizens who have the ability to make a positive difference in the world every day.
As the winner, Wyffels gets a $15,000 cash prize and will represent Arizona in the National Teacher of the Year competition. She will also attend International Space Camp and spend a week at Google’s main headquarters in California with other state Teachers of the Year.
A nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and supporting public education, the Arizona Educational Foundation chose Wyffels from five finalists for its annual Arizona Teacher of the Year award. Finalists included a Glendale special education teacher, a bilingual Flagstaff teacher, a Sahuarita career and technical education teacher and a Tucson chemistry teacher.
This year, all five Teacher of the Year finalists were shown teaching their students online as they’ve had to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more about the Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards at azedfoundation.org/teacher-of-the-year
Previous Arizona Teachers of the Year
- 2020: Lynette Stant, Salt River Elementary
(Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community) - 2019: Kareem Neal, Maryvale High School
(Phoenix Union High School District) - 2018: Josh Meibos, David Crockett Elementary School
(Balsz Elementary School District) - 2017: Michelle Doherty, Encanto School
(Osborn Elementary District) - 2016: Christine Marsh, Chaparral High School
(Scottsdale Unified School District) - 2015: John-David Bowman, Westwood High School
(Mesa Public Schools) - 2014: Beth Hutchins-Maloney, Sunset Hill Elementary School
(Dysart Unified School District) - 2013: Nancie Lindblom, Skyline High School
(Mesa Public Schools) - 2012: Kristie Martorelli, Thompson Ranch Elementary School
(Dysart Unified School District) - 2011: Amanda McAdams, Apollo High School
(Glendale Union High School District) - 2010: Joy Weiss, Balsz Elementary School, Phoenix
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