Middle school teacher Rhiannon Young of Oregon has been. named a recipient of one of four 2025 OnPoint Educator of the Year prizes. Photo credit: OnPoint
There are many fine educators who work with young people in Oregon state’s public schools. One of them is Rhiannon Young, a teacher in the Corbett School District in the town of Corbett. She has been named a recipient of one of four 2025 OnPoint Educator of the Year prizes.
Rhiannon teaches students in grades seven and eight at Corbett Middle School. In her classroom, she employs hands-on, inclusive, real-world learning activities. For example, she has led her students to trace volcanic flows of Mt. St. Helens and organized an examination of the Dust Bowl through both migrant and indigenous stories. She has also led study-abroad trips to Europe. Her social studies units highlight multiple perspectives from marginalized groups throughout history, such as the post-Revolutionary War and Reconstruction in America. In addition, she leads multi-cultural book clubs to explore novels the students have selected.
And as if all that were not enough, Rhiannon also serves on the site council and district bargaining team, leads K–12 curriculum alignment, mentors new teachers, and oversees academic intervention services. She also partners with the Multnomah Education Service District to align social studies standards, secure grants for arts and science materials that advocate for equity in the student experience.
Rhiannon was born and raised on the Oregon Coast. As a young woman, she graduated from Taft High School in Lincoln City. Once she graduated, she enrolled at the University of Oregon, but later transferred to Portland State University (PSU). She graduated from PSU with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, and then continued with graduate school, earning a Master’s degree in Environmental Law. Discovering her passion for working with young people, she decided to pursue a career in education. Her career as a teacher spans two decades.
The OnPoint Educator of the Year winners will have their rent or mortgage paid for one full year. Additionally, their schools will receive a $2,500 donation for resources and supplies. Runners up will each receive a $5,000 cash award, plus an additional $1,500 to their schools for resources and supplies. Since 2010, OnPoint has awarded more than $843,000 in prizes to 326 local educators and schools. The 2025 campaign will grant an additional $193,000 to deserving educators.
