BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Cuba-Rushford Middle-High School teacher has been named the 2022 New York State Teacher of the Year.
Carly Santangelo, an agriculture teacher, was celebrated by the state Board of Regents and New York State United Teachers Monday.
Santangelo has been a Cuba-Rushford educator since 2018 and is a former Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-Wyoming BOCES teacher.
“Being an educator requires strong resilience in the face of challenges, and Carly exemplifies the resilience that NYSUT members show each and every day in their classrooms,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “She represents the very best qualities that educators across the state possess: Dedication, mastery of her craft, a sincere belief in the success of the entire school community and that resilience that has been so crucial especially in the last year and a half. We’re proud to call Carly a NYSUT member.”
NYSUT said Santangelo is as a hard-working role model for her students and valued member of her community.
“Connecting students with our community is my priority, whether that’s pairing them with volunteer opportunities that further what they’ve learned in class or simply helping prepare them to be successful in any career field after graduation,” Santangelo said. “I believe in a spirit of collaboration among educators, students and the community. When we come together, we can show students the kind of impact they can make in the world every single day.”
The other teacher of the year finalists were:
- Frontier Central Teachers Association President Amber Chandler
- Watervliet Teachers Association Co-President Jeanne Lance
- Herkimer Faculty Association member Heather McCutcheon
- Hamburg Teachers Association member Lynn Sajdak.
