JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — During the 33rd Annual EDDY Awards on Saturday, a Terry Parker High School teacher was named 2024 VyStar Duval County Teacher of the Year.
Gustavo Guzman, a third-year biology teacher at Terry Parker, now has the opportunity to vie for Florida's Teacher of the Year title.
Guzman was selected from among 180 Teachers of the Year, from 180 schools in Duval County by a committee of volunteers.
"Teachers must personify positive living, lifelong learning and willingness to empathize; accepting and helping all people that we encounter," said Guzman. "It takes diverse teachers, willing to meet students where they are, then push them further than they could see for themselves. When students see themselves in their daily leaders, an influx of positive change can occur."
During his speech, Guzman acknowledged the importance of "meeting students where they are" by creating plans to fit their standards.
While in the classroom, Guzman developed new instruction and systems to better serve his students, making changes that ultimately helped raise one class' test scores by more than 22 percent last year.
"As an educator, I make an enormous effort to meet my students where they are and work diligently to develop a plan to get them to their next level,” he said.
Guzman is a first-generation college graduate, and teachers and mentors played a huge role in encouraging him to pursue higher education and even helped him get admitted to Edward Waters University.
"His life story is a testament to his students that the American dream is alive and well, and anything is possible if you pursue if with passion," Duval County Schools Superintendent Dr. Dana Kriznar said.
Kriznar added that Guzman's ability to encourage his students to strive for their goals, even if they are challenging, gives him the 'it' factor that makes students excited to learn.
"His ability to engage students in higher-order thinking does more than just prepare them for the rigors of college. It also helps them build confidence in their ability to pursue challenging goals and aspirations," Kriznar said.
Guzman is not only a leader in the classroom but also serves as site director for the 5000 Role Models of Excellence program, which aims to give minority male youth a positive role model and help them make choices to achieve their goals.
“Not only do I work with 5000 RMOE, but I also make sure to have a positive impact on my students by providing positive encouragement on their growth as students," Guzman wrote in his application for Teacher of the Year. "I love to empower students with positive affirmations based on character development, academic growth, and athletic accomplishments."
The EDDY Awards Teacher of the Year program is hosted by the Jacksonville Public Education Fund.
The other nominated Teachers of the Year are eligible for professional learning opportunities through JPEF.
Along with a cash prize and classroom grant, Guzman will join the JPEF's Board of Directors as an ex-officio member for the next year.
Florida's Teacher of the Year will be announced by the Florida Department of Education in July.