TUSTIN : District Chooses Its Teacher of the Year

Betsy Banyard-Florence, a drama teacher at Columbus Tustin Middle School, has been selected teacher of the year by the Tustin Unified School District.

She was honored for the drug and alcohol prevention videos that her students write and produce, including “Be Smart, Don’t Start,” which won first place in the 1993 Orange County Department of Education competition.

Banyard-Florence will represent the Tustin school district in the Orange County Teacher of the Year competition.

Eight teachers from other school districts are vying to represent the county in the state competition, with the winner moving on to the national level.

Winners are honored at the White House. The President confers the awards on the nation’s best teachers.

Banyard-Florence, who has worked for the school district for the past 30 years, became a drama teacher in 1977.

Before that, she taught physical education, art, music, home economics and speech at Columbus Tustin.

Although she has no formal training in drama, Banyard-Florence has created an award-winning program.

Since 1983, her drama students have written and produced drug awareness videos that have been shown in schools around the district.

This year, her students also produced a mime show, “The Clown’s Balloons,” for students with limited English skills.

“She is loved by her students, popular with parents and respected by her peers,” said Supt. David Andrews. “She’s a wonderful role model.”

Banyard-Florence, who speaks fluent Spanish, also has been an ESL teacher at Columbus Tustin.

In addition, she has been a mentor teacher.

Banyard-Florence holds a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and a master’s degree from Chapman University.

She has also attended Scripps College in Claremont and the University of Madrid in Spain.