Adrian Josh Lepiten 
“She is the reason many kids even came to school… and she taught me how to be myself in a world that’s constantly telling me to be something I’m not.”
September 29, 2021 – Filipina-American educator has been named Oregon’s 2022 Teacher of the Year by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) in the United States. To know who is behind the award, let’s read more about…
Ethelyn Tumalad Filipina-American Educator
Teachers are the second parents in school, they are the ones who correct the students if something goes wrong, just as they do with their own children. They have played an important role in influencing the lives of the students in their care.
To become a teacher you must be passionate and enthusiastic about everything that you do. One educator we know has been the subject of recent discussions and news because of her great connections with students and fellow teachers, she is Ethelyn Tumalad.
Ethelyn Tumalad is an English Teacher at Clackamas High School, she’s a first-generation Filipino immigrant who came to the United States with her family at five years old. Through passion, dedication, and patience in teaching the United States of America awarded her as Oregon’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.
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Her recognition is another acknowledgement of Filipino American teachers’ important commitment to influencing future generations of Americans. “My identity as an Asian Pacific Islander educator and educator of color grounds me in my work,” Tumalad said.
I’ve seen the importance of having positive role models of color; therefore, it is important that students themselves see their advisors work together to build bridges among each other’s marginalized identities, she added.
As the Oregon’s Teacher of the Year, she will serve as a spokesperson and representative for all Oregon teachers. Through the Chief Council of State School Officers’ (CCSSO) National Teacher of the Year program, she and the school North Clackamas School District will both receive a $5,000 cash award each and a year-long professional development and networking with other state Teachers of the Year.
“As an educator who always wants to ensure that students become change agents in the classroom, I lead my students with empathy and truly believe that modeling is the best form of education,” Tumalad said.
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