On Dec. 9 of 2022, Honors Chemistry, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Chemistry teacher Jeffrey Rivera was awarded the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year award at Bonita Vista High (BVH). The Teacher of the Year award is given out once per school year to recognize an outstanding BVH teacher. Each year, faculty members nominate a teacher to be awarded and from the nominations, a winner is voted for. This year, J. Rivera’s excellent teaching skills and involvement in the school earned him the prestigious title. 

Earning the title came as a surprise to J. Rivera. On the day the award was given out, multiple staff members and students came into his classroom to congratulate him. J. Rivera recalls the astounding moment in detail. 

“I found out by being ambushed by Dr. Josafat, Ms. Perez, Ms. Timmons, a couple of ASB students [and] Ms. Wise,” Rivera said.“They walked into my room with balloons and the congratulations poster, and they informed me that I was chosen as Bonita Vista’s Teacher of the Year.”

Integrated Math 3, Precalculus and Precalculus Honors teacher Marissa Rivera shares that she was absent on the day J. Rivera was awarded as Teacher of the Year. Even so, that did not stop her from sharing her excitement after finding out about her brother’s award.

“I was very happy. As different as we are, he is so creative and very intelligent. He’s very passionate about what he teaches, and he definitely deserves [the award]. I’m very proud of him,” M. Rivera said. 

Although only staff members are allowed to vote for the Teacher of the Year winner, the passion teachers have for their respective subjects is recognized by students. Junior Sebastian Higuera talks about his experience as part of J. Rivera’s AP Chemistry class. 

“I find [his class] pretty interesting. We have to do labs and collaborate with each other a lot in groups, which is fun,” Higuera said. “It’s not him guiding us the entire time, step by step. Rather, it’s him letting us try to figure it out on our own and problem solve.”

A lot of thought is put into choosing nominees for the esteemed award. Teachers must display certain attributes that will earn them the title. M. Rivera comments on what made J. Rivera’s teaching style stand out throughout the semester.

“[His teaching] is filled with knowledge, but with jokes intertwined–you just have to listen. He’d be teaching, and then in mid-sentence he’ll crack a joke and then continue straight to teaching but without even smiling. He always has students engaged,” M. Rivera said.

On top of his skillful teaching, J. Rivera believes the importance in making connections with students as their teacher and mentor. He believes reaching out and interacting with BVH outside the classroom also attributed to winning the award.

“I think my peers recognized that I am very dedicated to my students, that I’ll go out of my way to interact with them and let them know that teachers are beyond the classroom. We have lives too, we’re cool and we’re here for the students,” J. Rivera said

Higuera has experienced the type of teacher J. Rivera is what he does that works so well with students. He believes J. Rivera rightfully earned this award due to his teaching methods and engagement with the class.

“I think he definitely deserves it. Mr. Rivera is a very cool teacher. He has a lot of fun with us, you can tell he’s very passionate about what he does. He makes the class more amazing,” Higuera said.

Winning Teacher of the Year was a great honor for J. Rivera, a reflection of all the work he has done as a teacher to deserve the recognition. He gives advice to other teachers on what he believes is crucial to become a distinguished teacher at BVH.

“There was a quote by Bruce Lee: ‘be like water.’ [To be a good teacher,] you have got to be fluid. You have got to be very flexible in your approach. There is no correct way to teach because every student is different and every class period is different,” J. Rivera said. “The students need to know that you’re human. The only way you can do that is to let your guard down, to joke around and talk about yourself.”