Congratulations to three remarkable and extraordinary educators from Los Angeles County who are among five recipients to receive the prestigious honor of being named the 2024 California Teachers of the Year.  

Casey Cuny is a high school honors English/Myth and Folklore teacher at Valencia High School in the William S. Hart Union High School District. 

California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond nominated Cuny as California’s representative for the National Teacher of the Year competition. Cuny will compete against other state nominees in the 2024 National Teacher of the Year. 

Andrew “Drew” Lewis is a high school music teacher at Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts in the Los Angeles Unified School District.  

Hannah Rodriguez is a preschool special education teacher at Beardslee Dual Language Immersion Academy in the Duarte Unified School District.  

Cuny, Lewis and Rodriguez exemplify how educators play a key role in connecting with and motivating our students. From Cuny’s resiliency and passion for student advocacy, to Lewis's creative and visionary leadership, to Rodriguez's compassionate and empathetic heart, the trio truly represent the excellence of our nearly 75,000 teachers in the county. 

In addition, congratulations to the 2024 California Teachers of the Year Finalists from Los Angeles County:  

Alanna Grimaldi is a sixth-grade science teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School in the Burbank Unified School District.    

Alison Meloserdoff is a third-grade teacher at Wild Rose School of Creative Arts in the Monrovia Unified School District.  

Kirsten Neill is a fifth-grade teacher at Old River Elementary School in the Downey Unified School District. 

All county and district winners were celebrated on Friday, September 22, 2023 at the Los Angeles County Office of Education awards banquet.