LOS ANGELES – A Filipino-American teacher was recently honored by a local high school in Southern California for his exemplary work as an educator and mentor.
Brian Ramirez, 39, was given the Teacher of the Year award at Cypress High School in Cypress, Calif. Ramirez, who teaches high school level biology and chemistry, was voted by students, parents, and teachers to win the award.
Ramirez said that he was in total disbelief when he learned that he had won the award, because he knows that a lot of the other teachers he is working with are “amazing at what they do for their students.”
“I am definitely humbled and honored to have been selected by students because they truly are what matters the most in education. They are the reason all of us teachers work hard for, day in and day out,” Ramirez told Asian Journal in an email.
According to Ramirez, the student body has a diverse population, comprised of Caucasian, Hispanic, African American, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Indian students.
Ramirez had been teaching at Cypress High School for 11 years now. Prior to that, he taught at Ball Junior HIgh School for three years.
Ramirez said that he is passionate about teaching because he is able to make a positive impact on the youth.
“I am able to positively impact the young minds, by inspiring, empowering, and giving them the necessary learning skills, such as critical thinking and the scientific approach to problem [solving], [in order for them] to grow and become the changing force in our world,” Ramirez said.
He also admitted that he also enjoys being able to share with his students the “beauty and the dynamic concepts of Biology and Chemitsry.”
Ramirez, who grew up in the Philippines for 14 years before he moved to the US, said that because he went through the Philippine school system, he has a great appreciation for the rigor and academic excellence that we have in place in our country. He said that his schooling under Don Bosco Makati has molded him to become a teacher that brings out the strengths of his students. He also admitted that he strives to instill the values of discipline and respect in his pupils.
“I would like to thank Cypress High School for giving me the opportunity to be a part of their team and their family,” Ramirez said.
He praised his fellow teachers for being “the best in the industry” and for being the main reason why their school has always excelled academically, year in and year out. He also thanked the teachers for teaching him how to improve and elevate his work to a higher level.
Ramirez also had good things to say about the students of Cypress High.
“The students are such a wonderful group of people. There are caring and have a lot of school pride. They are the future leaders of this country,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez is happily married to his wife Pia, 35, with whom he has three sons, Jaden (10), Ethan (8), and Dylan (5). He admits that he too looks forward to the day when his own sons attend Cypress High School, and witness them “finish strong as they cross the podium with a diploma on graduation day.”
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend June 28 – July 1, 2014 Sec C pg.5)
