VALLEY – Sargent High School history teacher John Willis was named the San Luis Valley’s 2024 Educator of the Year by the SLV Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). The 38th annual ceremony was held Wednesday, May 1, at the Ski-Hi Complex in Monte Vista and was sponsored by San Luis Valley Federal Bank.

Willis was among 13 educators from across the Valley nominated for the honor. The other 12 nominees were:

Megan Mortensen, third grade, Alamosa; Audrey Rael, fourth grade, Centennial; Lindsay Stillwagon, first grade, Center; Linda Vigil, third grade, Moffat; Kellyn Ross, elementary instructional coach and middle school “sped” teacher, Monte Vista; Owen Zoils, second grade, Mountain Valley; Andrew Shelton, middle school science, North Conejos; Kyle Canty, middle school and high school math, Sanford; Irene Baker, third/fifth English, Sangre de Cristo; Andy McKim, special education, SLV BOCES; Chris Parrill, high school history, Sierra Grande; and Joseph Guenther, K-12 PE, South Conejos.