Preschool Teacher of the Year Award Nominations Due Friday

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At 15 years old, Priscilla Avila was a high school dropout. She was emancipated at the age of 16 and struggled on the streets while homeless with her sister.

Despite those challenges, she was named one of the "Preschool Teachers of the Year" in 2011. Stories like Avila's inspired a donor's generosity, allowing for a monetary prize in 2012.

Since 2008, the Los Angeles Universal Preschool has recognized one teacher from the five districts represented by the LA County Board of Supervisors. Nominations for this year's fifth annual "Preschool Teacher of the Year" awards have been extended until Jan. 27.

Each winner will receive $2,000 in addition to educational prizes from event sponsors. This will be the first time recipients of the award will receive a monetary prize.

"They told me, 'You're going to amount to nothing,' and for me it has always been my life-long determination to say, 'No, I am somebody,' and that's the same thing I want to translate to my kids," said Avila, a disabilities teacher for Felton State Preschool.

At last year's event, a donor pledged $100,000 to the organization after being moved by each teacher's commitment to education, said Braden Lay-Michaels, the director of development for Los Angeles Universal Preschool.

"With those funds, we'll be able to award $2,000 to each of the five winners for the next 10 years," said Lay-Michaels.

Former winners of the award, like Avila, parents and a panel of elected officials will select this year's winner based on a set of criteria. The criteria includes factors such as a teacher's credentials, an evaluation of the nominee's commitment to excellence in teaching and their levels of experience.

The winners of the award will be announced during the first week of March. A celebration will be conducted in their honor April 26 at Universal Studios-Hollywood.

"This is the largest event of the year for us, and the stories you hear are quite moving. I was bawling by the end of it," said Lay-Michaels.

Lay-Michaels credits the success of the event to the nature of the awards and the teachers.

"This is the only event that celebrates the preschool teachers in the county. Kindergarten through ninth grade are often recognized, but preschool is not always remembered," said Lay-Michaels. "These individuals are never going to be rich off of this, and their stories are inspiring to everyone."