Minutes later, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, arrived to surprise students and staff with the news that their teacher, Mr. Anthony Segura, had been named the first 2026 Riverside County Teacher of the Year.

Anthony teaches in a State Preschool Inclusion Class at Edward Hyatt World Language Elementary School in the San Jacinto Unified School District. His classroom consists of preschool students with a variety of abilities and needs—all of whom are learning at their own pace to build a foundation for learning.

“Anthony has all the qualities of an outstanding educator. He is passionate, dedicated, innovative, and community-focused,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, during the surprise visit. “His impact extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the lives of students, families, and all educators.”

“I would like to thank the students because I love all you guys,” Anthony said immediately following the surprise announcement. “I love coming to school and I feel like my job is not a job. I look forward to it and working with everybody in the community. This award is not about me, it’s about all of us.”

Three more 2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be revealed in upcoming surprise visits. Once named, all four teachers of the year will represent Riverside County in the 2026 California Teacher of the Year competition.

About Anthony Segura

Anthony Segura grew up with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and remembers the frustration and isolation from often being misunderstood and having his energy and distractibility mistaken for defiance instead of as signposts of a different way of learning.

Regardless of their learning style, students of all abilities in Anthony’s preschool inclusion classroom feel understood, valued, capable of success, and encouraged to build a love of learning through curiosity and exploration. Sing-alongs, freeze dances, kindness cards, and other engaging activities are part of the overall strategy to tailor instruction and collaborations with families and educators that build a foundation of learning for all students.

Anthony discovered his passion for education while volunteering to support adults with special education needs and after spending a transformative year working with high school students with special needs in China.

Beyond his classroom, Anthony has been active in policy work in early education, inclusive practices, and organizing fundraising drives. He also wrote and published a children’s picture book, Firefighter, Firefighter, Who Do You See? He enjoys mentoring aspiring educators to create more inclusive and effective classrooms that benefit all students.

Anthony has served as a classroom teacher since 2015, is a Global Learning Fellow with the National Education Association Foundation, and a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with National Geographic. He previously served as a Teach Plus Policy Fellow, and earned the National Board Certification in Exceptional Needs.

Anthony earned his bachelor’s degree, teaching credential in early childhood special education, and his master’s degree, from California State University, Northridge. He is a resident of Menifee.

Recent Riverside County teachers selected as California Teachers of the Year include:

• 2025 – Robert (Bob) Mauger, Corona High School, Corona-Norco USD
• 2022 – Nichi Aviña, Cielo Vista Charter School, Palm Springs USD
• 2021 – Keisa Brown, University Heights Middle School, Riverside USD, and Allison Cyr, Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
• 2020 – Brenda Chavez-Barreras, Good Hope Elementary School, Perris ESD
• 2019 – Dr. Angel Mejico, El Cerrito Middle School, Corona-Norco USD
• 2018 – Dr. Brian McDaniel, Painted Hills Middle School, Palm Springs USD
• 2017 – Shaun Bunn, Ethan A. Chase Middle School, Romoland School District 
• 2016 – Michelle Cherland, Carrillo Ranch Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
• 2014 – Jessica Pack, James Workman Middle School, Palm Springs USD

The Riverside County Teachers of the Year are selected from nearly 20,000 educators in the county. The rigorous application process requires candidates to spend time reflecting on, and carefully defining, their teaching philosophy. The county teachers of the year are selected on the basis of nominations by teachers, principals, and school district administrators throughout the county. Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where a selection committee reviews the applications of each district candidate and selects semi-finalists. The selection committee then conducts interviews and site visits to select the final four candidates before the county superintendent announces the Riverside County Teachers of the Year.

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Torres received the news that she is one of four educators named a 2025 Riverside County Teacher of the Year on Thursday morning during her first period class when an entourage of education leaders burst into her classroom to surprise her and her students with the announcement.

“Ever since I started as an AVID tutor here for my first job in education, I always knew that I wanted to be back at Indio High School,” Torres said in a statement provided by the Riverside County Office of Education. “It’s my goal to engage students, help them be successful and to learn how to give back.”

As chair of the math department, Torres also advises the National Honors Society and the California Scholarship Federation. Recently, she earned a supplementary authorization in computer science from Cal State Chico, with the goal of introducing Advanced Placement computer science courses at the high school.

Torres began her teaching career as a long-term substitute in 2015, working at two middle schools in the Desert Sands Unified School District before securing her current role in 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a minor in mathematics from California State University San Marcos and a master’s degree in mathematics secondary education from Western Governors University.

“I can see by looking around this classroom that there is a lot of learning that takes place here,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez, during the surprise visit. “Ms. Torres is a committed educator who emphasizes the significance of mathematics in everyday life. She models good stewardship in her class and across campus, creating a benefit for the entire community.”

Torres will join Amanda Zonker from Riverside STEM Academy, along with two other teachers whose names have yet to be revealed, in representing Riverside County in the 2025 California Teacher of the Year competition.

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A teacher in National City who won a Teacher of the Year award in August was arrested and booked into county jail for an “inappropriate relationship” with a 13-year-old former student, police said. Jacqueline Ma, 34, was a teacher at Lincoln Acres Elementary in National City — just south of San Diego — where she taught fifth and sixth grades.

On Monday, a “concerned parent” reached out to the National City Police Department saying she was afraid her 13-year-old was being treated inappropriately by Ma, according to a news release. The next day, detectives developed probable cause to arrest the teacher.

She was booked into jail on “numerous felony charges” and was released on bail, according to police. Detectives continued to investigate and rearrested Ma on Thursday, charging her with additional felonies in the case. She is now being held without bail at Las Colinas Detention Facility. Police did not release details on the suspected criminal activity because the alleged victim is a minor.

The teacher is charged with seven counts of possession of child pornography and four counts of sexual exploitation of a child. She is also charged with two counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts with a child. Finally, Ma is charged with attempting to dissuade a witness from testifying.

National School District Supt. Leighangela Brady said at a school board meeting Wednesday that the community was trying to process the “unthinkable situation.” Ma had been a teacher in the district since 2013 and had a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in education, both from UC San Diego, according to her Teacher of the Year profile in the San Diego Union Tribune.

The award was announced last year by the San Diego County Office of Education. Her colleagues at the time said she was instrumental in helping Lincoln Acres Elementary adjust to using technology for teaching during the pandemic. “I could not have survived without her when it came to virtual learning,” teacher Cynthia Valle-Lone said at the time. The educator is now being held at a women’s detention facility without bail.

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