It was a clean sweep for the Porterville area as local teachers swept all three awards in the 30th annual Central California Chinese Cultural Center Educator of the Year honors.
Harmony Magnet Academy's Jeromy Blackwell was selected as the High School Teacher of the Year; Saucelito School's Guadalupe Acosta was chosen as the Elementary Teacher of the Year; and Rockford School's Maria Pacheco was selected as Middle School Teacher of the Year.
On Friday, May 8 Tulare County Superintendent of Schools Tim Hire and Wendy Jay, a member of the Central California Chinese Cultural Center’s Board of Directors, surprised the three teachers, announcing tthey were winners in the Educators of the Year program.
The Central California Chinese Cultural Center has partnered with the Tulare County Office of Education to honor one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school teacher as part of the Confucius’ Birthday/Educators of the Year Awards. Chinese people around the world often mark the occasion of Confucius’ birthday in late September by recognizing exemplary teachers. Each year, members of the Chinese Cultural Center hold a dinner celebration at their center in Visalia for the honorees, their colleagues, and family members.
“We greatly appreciate that we have been able to celebrate great teachers for three decades in partnership with the Chinese Cultural Center,” said Tim Hire, Tulare County Superintendent of Schools. “This year’s honorees are not only exceptional teachers but leaders in the field of education.”
Acosta is a first and second grade teacher at Saucelito and has taught at the school for nine years. "Known for her caring approach and instructional skill, Acosta designs and delivers engaging, standards-based lessons across multiple subject areas while thoughtfully differentiating instruction to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of her students," TCOE stated.
"Throughout her career, Acosta has demonstrated exceptional versatility, successfully teaching combination classes at various grade levels, including second/third and fifth/sixth. Beyond the classroom, Acosta is a trusted leader within her school community."
Acosta has served as the site lead for the summer school program and supported students countywide as a migrant education teacher. In addition, she mentors new educators as a teacher induction program and IMPACT Intern program mentor.
Pacheco has taught for nine years at Rockford where she's a sixth-grade math and history teacher. "Pacheco has successfully implemented a 'thinking classroom' instructional model, engaging students in mathematical discourse and problem-solving through collaboration and multiple solution pathways," TCOE stated. "This approach not only strengthens conceptual understanding but also builds confidence, communication skills, and perseverance.
"She brings the same level of energy to her history instruction, making learning relevant and engaging for her students. A passionate advocate for English learners, Pacheco invests significant time designing lessons that support language development. Beyond instructional excellence, Pacheco is a respected colleague and leader whose professionalism, collaboration, and enthusiasm contribute to a positive school culture."
Blackwell has taught for more than 26 years in the Porterville Unified School District. He teaches U.S. history, world history, A.P. and U.S. history at Harmony and weight training at Strathmore High to students in grades 9–12. As Harmony's social science department chair, Blackwell provides instructional leadership, recently guiding the adoption of a modern curriculum that supports 21st-century learning and critical thinking skills.
"He consistently helps students achieve high levels of academic success, including strong AP pass rates," TCOE state. "Beyond the classroom, Blackwell has made an extraordinary impact as a varsity football and track coach. Over his coaching career, he has led teams to multiple league, valley, regional, and state championships, fostering discipline, teamwork, and perseverance in student-athletes."
Blackwell has been Strathmore High's football coach for 25 seasons, leading SHS to state titles in 2017 and 2023.
Blackwell has also served the community by mentoring new teachers, supporting student teachers, and providing leadership for Strathmore's youth football program.
A dinner celebrating the 2026 Educators of the Year will be held at the Central California Chinese Cultural Center in September. For a list of past honorees, visit https://www.tcoe.org/EOTY.