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Teachers don't always get the recognition they deserve for a job well done. So Los Gatos residents Joe and Joanne Rodgers started the Educator of the Year award in 1992 as a way to recognize teachers who have an impact on students' self-image, confidence, how they regard education and what careers they decide to pursue.
This year's recipient of the award is Gayle Shank, a physical education, health and driver's education teacher at Los Gatos High School. She was nominated for the award by students, teachers and parents, and the selection process was organized by Home and School Club President Karen Frey.
Shank's name will be engraved on a plaque located in the main office of the high school. In addition, she received a cash award of $2,500 that can be used to pay for equipment or supplies or to take courses focused on improving the educational experience of the classroom.
Comments from those who nominated Shank for the award described her as energetic, funny and approachable. She is known for treating students like adults, while helping them make important choices in life. Shank, the former Gayle Baggerly, is a 1965 graduate of Los Gatos High School.
The late Susan Elizabeth "Betty" McClendon, a 1931 graduate of Los Gatos High School and longtime resident of the town, designated $10,000 in her will toward the Educator of the Year award. This amount funds the award for this year as well as the next three years, after which the Rodgers will resume its funding.
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Photograph by Eliza Gutierrez