Congratulations to high school teacher Ethelyn Tumalad of Oregon, who has been named her state’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: oregonteacheroftheyear.org

Hearty congratulations to Ethelyn Tumalad, a high school educator who has been named Oregon’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.

Ethelyn teaches Language Arts and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) at Clackamas High School in Clackamas, Oregon. She also serves as her school’s advisor for the Asian Pacific Islander Student Union, and she participates in her District’s Educator of Color affinity group. She is part of Equity Sparks, a part of the Oregon Education Organization, where she is a champion for equitable causes in Oregon’s education system. Her career as an educator has spanned five years.

Colt Gill, Chief of State Schools, praises the honored teacher. “Ethelyn infuses her classroom with community, belonging and empathy – all critical components for ensuring students feel welcome and safe,” he asserts. Ethelyn’s students agree. In a letter of support, a former student described the exemplary teacher as “hands down one of the best and most thoughtful teachers I have ever had.” The student wrote that Ethelyn sees and treats each student who walks into her classroom like a family member and looks for ways to change their lives for the better. “She is the reason many kids even came to school … and she taught me how to be myself in a world that’s constantly telling me to be something I’m not,” the letter continued.

Perhaps Ethelyn’s emphasis on inclusion stems from the fact that she is a first-generation immigrant from The Philippines. She was only five years old when her family immigrated to the Pacific Northwest. Later, Ethelyn earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Western Washington University. She earned a Master’s degree in English Literature and a second Master’s degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Portland State University.

Congrats, Ethelyn!