A Park City social studies teacher may soon be named Utah’s Teacher of the Year in a competition that aims to recognize distinguished and dedicated educators throughout the state.
Joanna Andres, who teaches Park City High School students criminal law and Advanced Placement U.S. government, was named one of the Utah State Board of Education’s “Fab Five” finalists last month.
The statewide agency, which runs the selection process annually, said the five finalists “represent the pinnacle of teaching excellence in Utah, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to student growth, exemplary teaching and professional leadership.”
The other finalists include Aaron Andersen of Skyridge High School in Lehi, Markay Anderson of Ashley Elementary in Vernal, Joseph Kozlowski of the Edith Bowen Laboratory School in Logan and Aston “Rai” Pattison of Kearns Junior High School.
“It’s such a diverse group, and they’re probably the nicest people I’ve ever met,” Andres said. “But for me, I feel like this award is for the teachers at the high school. … [They] are the smartest, most creative, most dedicated teachers I’ve ever worked with, so for me, it’s a way for people and the state to see what we do, how dedicated the teachers are and to get a closer glimpse into just how incredible our staff is.”
Andres is originally from Santa Clarita, California, a mid-sized city just north of Los Angeles. She moved to San Diego after high school to pursue her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and then spent the next few decades in a “whirlwind” of moving vans and new cities.
“I followed my husband around a bit because he was a diplomat and worked for the federal government,” Andres said. “We went to Arizona, Washington, D.C., Paris, France, and then we ended up here, which was a gift, especially for our children, because going from five years in France, they were able to immerse themselves right into the French program here.”
Her husband started working in Salt Lake City about eight years ago. Andres spent a few years teaching at the Weilenmann School of Discovery before transitioning to the Park City School District. As a social studies teacher, Andres said she enjoys speaking to students about current events and the U.S. Constitution, which she called “the best governing document” in history.
“I feel like as the kids age and there are phones and social media, there’s more of a sense of doom and gloom, so if I can be a positive place where they talk about the government and life in our country, then I’ve done my job,” Andres said.
Andres acknowledged other teachers may shy away from discussing current events in the classroom, but she said students are noticeably more and more politically informed every year — likely because of the influence of social media. For that reason, Andres encourages students to debate current events, seeing it as a way for her to connect the content of the class with their lived experiences. She creates curated, intentional groups. Students then start with small discussions where their teammates hold them accountable.
“I say up front, ‘You’re going to talk about hard things, but be yourself. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. This is a safe space. We’re not going to judge, but you can’t engage in these conversations if you’re not going to respect other people’s ideas,’” she explained. “We all come into the room with different experiences, and it’s important to not negate where people come from and what they’re feeling and what they’re passionate about, so we front-load with expectations.”
Andres will spend the next year advocating for teachers across the state as a member of the “Fab Five” finalists, engaging in her own civic duties by speaking to legislators, answering questions about education and campaigning for her profession in Utah.
“Teachers don’t get recognized enough, so this is an opportunity to recognize all the teachers in our district because I’ve never met a bad teacher in our district,” she said.
Andres won Park City High School’s Sarah and Stephen Doilney Award in May, and she was immediately a standout because of how many student nominations she received, said district spokesperson Colton Elliott.
This is only the second year the Park City School District has nominated a teacher for the Utah State Board of Education’s Teacher of the Year award, he added.
“We’re super excited for her to go forward and represent the teachers of our district,” Elliott said. “She shows the kind of talent we have here in Park City. There’s just an incredible amount of teachers (in Utah), and she’s the cream of the crop.”
The Utah State Board of Education will announce the Teacher of the Year winner on Sept. 4.