Five deserving West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) school teachers were given the shock of their professional lives recently when they received surprise visits notifying them they won the “2017 Teaching Excellence Award.”

“I am in awe of the hard work, commitment, and passion that this year’s Teaching Excellence winners show and give our students on a daily basis,” Superintendent Matthew Duffy said. “The dedication of Ms. Chieudjui, Kronenber, La Due, Raj and Johnson is just a small snapshot of the all the fantastic teachers we have working in this district.”

Teachers at five schools in West Contra Costa were paid surprise classroom visits Feb. 3 and presented with 2017 Teaching Excellence Awards.

Are you a high school senior attending a public school in the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) with a dream of attending college? Students who meet certain criteria can receive help to make their dream come alive thanks to college scholarships being offered by the Ed Fund.

High school seniors who attend a public school within the boundaries of the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) are eligible to apply for an Ed Fund college scholarship ranging from $1,000-$5,000.

This one-hour peek inside is your opportunity to hear from our staff, scholarship recipients and volunteers as we work to provide resources and support to West Contra Costa County to create educational environments where our students thrive and succeed in their chosen endeavors,

Elijah Toumoua is a Middle College High senior who “barely makes enough money.” He said affording college can be a large challenge for many students coming out of high school. Fortunately, he is receiving a scholarship from the Ed Fund. The Ed Fund, a nonprofit organization, is giving five high school seniors from MCHS each scholarships.

Teacher quality is, by far, the most important variable in student learning and in West Contra Costa we’re fortunate to have hundreds of great teachers as well as significant number of exceptional ones.

Their applications were reviewed by volunteers who chose the top students with the grit and passion it takes to succeed in college and give back to their community.

Since its founding in1983, the Ed Fund has provided more than $3.1 million in funding to enrich education for West Contra Costa Unified School District students. By the end of its 28th year, that funding will have provided more than 788 grants to teachers and schools, 139 Teaching Excellence Awards, more than 13 years of after school programs at district middle schools, hundreds of music and arts programs at all grade levels, dozens of summer scholarships to enable students to attend summer camps and workshops, and more than $1.4 million in college scholarships.