“It is a great honor, not only for Pioneer Middle School and our students, but also for Porterville Unified School District,” Otto said. “It is very humbling to be recognized like this every day when you work with so many other gifted educators who are incredibly dedicated to teaching. It was a special evening for me because this time my children were there to share the moment.”
Jesus Rivera, who teaches at Sequoia Middle School, also was honored as a Region VII finalist.
“It has been a privilege to observe not only what Mr. Otto does in his classroom to inspire students, but also what he does as a site leader to inspire his fellow teachers,” Pioneer instructional coach Mary Mitchell said.
“Mr. Otto exemplifies the qualities of an outstanding teacher,” Porterville Unified School District Superintendent Dr. John Snavely said. “We are very proud that PUSD not only had two nominations for this award, but that Mr. Otto was selected to represent our region. It is a well-deserved honor.”