SEVA Teacher of the Week

Brent Fanchar of Albert Schweitzer Elementary School

Brent Fanchar from Albert Schweitzer Elementary School in the San Juan Unified School District is this week’s SEVA Teacher of the Week. Mr. Fanchar is coming out of his first year as a SEVA Teacher, and subsequent first SEVA win for his students. The SEVA win created a buzz across his entire school that proved how effortlessly media education can blend in to a traditional education setting. However, Mr. Fanchar isn’t involved with the SEVAs for the awards. He most enjoys helping his students find their way in the world of media and watching all the growth that entails. His students pick up on his enthusiasm and say how much fun they have in his class, and how he always has a smile on his face. Mr. Fanchar most appreciates the PSA category because his students can take on topics that wouldn’t normally be covered in a classroom setting but are nevertheless so important to them. While he has taught in the district for 14 years, the SEVAs have helped open up a new world of possibilities for his students to express themselves and that is truly exciting.

Mark Billingsley from Winston Churchill Middle School in the San Juan Unified School District is this week’s SEVA Teacher of the Week. Mr. Billingsley has taught Computer Science and Digital Media for the past 3 years. He comes to teaching after a long career as a producer and writer. He is able to use his real-world knowledge to help give students the skills they’ll need for their future. He truly sees his students as natural story-tellers who just need a bit of guidance to be successful. Mr. Billingsley shows each student respect for their ideas, and in this way he can authentically connect with them and keep them motivated and productive in his class. He works hard to teach his student how to balance visual art and classic reporting in their videos. He loves the reaction students have when they can successfully complete a project that can be shared with classmates, the school, and the wider community. Thank you, Mr. Billingsley, for proving how valuable it is when students feel they sincerely have a great teacher in their corner.

Dawn William of Franklin High School

This week’s SEVA Teacher of the Week is Dawn Williams of Franklin High School in the Elk Grove Unified School District. Mrs. Williams has been teaching for 23 years, and has taught at Franklin High School since it first opened its doors. Mrs. Williams teaches two broadcast classes every day and her students produce a live daily show for the entire student body. During her impressive teaching career, Mrs. Williams has been able to to continue to grow and adapt her style to the ever changing world of media and her students needs. She is always looking for new ways of connecting and jump-starting her students careers, not only the broadcast industry, but wherever their journey takes them. Mrs. Williams genuinely cares that her students have the skills and knowledge needed in the world today when they leave her class. Mrs. Williams is known for her patience with her students and her ability to relate to youth of all different backgrounds. She is always smiling and truly brings a light to the SEVA Teacher Group.

2019 Alan Hinderstein Award Winner Karen Albert

SEVA Teacher of the Week features outstanding media teachers who work to give their students a voice. Karen Albert of Robert L. McCafffrey Middle School in the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District has been doing just that for the past ten years. Mrs. Albert provides her students the opportunity to develop skills that can be used beyond the four walls of the classroom, and, through this she has helped develop future leaders. She has used her passion for teaching and learning to show others that students can teach us just as much as we teach them. When you are in Mrs. Albert’s classroom there is rarely a dull moment as students are constantly getting up to show others a new skill. When she comes across a challenge she is the first to ask her students what she should do next and lets them guide her through the process. Mrs. Albert is instrumental in creating community not just at her school but within the SEVA program as a whole.