New teachers are “Rookies of the Year”
Five 2026 graduates of the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies Teacher Education Program at Center X have been selected as “Rookie Teachers of the Year” by the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The teachers from the UCLA Teacher Education Program include:
- Yaribel Aguila – Lorne Elementary School
- Karlan Arenas – UCLA Community School
- Paulina Herrera – Berendo Middle School
- Brandon Nguyen – Virgil Middle School
- Adelle Sarmiento – Van Ness Avenue Elementary School
The five UCLA TEP graduates are among 15 first-year teachers honored by the LAUSD as “Rookie Teachers of the Year.” Nominated by their principal, these new teachers are chosen for making a “meaningful impact by fostering inclusive classrooms, inspiring greatness, and designing learning for all students.” In a statement announcing the selection, the LAUSD said, “Their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence represent the bright future of education in Los Angeles.”
“We are incredibly proud of these and all of our graduating students,” says Emma Hipolito, director of the UCLA Teacher Education Program. “These outstanding beginning teachers exemplify our program’s values of community and justice. Their commitment to building inclusive and liberating spaces for learning is already having an impact on the students and communities they serve”
The five honorees are part of a 2026 UCLA Teacher Education Program class of 93 graduates who earned a Master of Education degree. It is important to note that Karlan Arenas is part of the school’s first cohort of Education Specialists who have earned credentials to work with students with disabilities. The UCLA Teacher Education Program (TEP) prepares aspiring teachers to become social justice educators in urban settings. The program is designed for future educators who want to serve in historically under-resourced communities and schools in California, particularly in Los Angeles. UCLA TEP offers multiple academic program pathways that culminate in a teaching credential and a Master of Education degree.
“The Teacher Education Program has transformed me into an educator I never would have expected,” LAUSD Rookie Teacher of the Year Brandon Nguyen said at graduation. “I am now a proud social justice educator who empowers my students and their community to critically analyze and fight against power, inequity, and oppression.”
“The recognition of these five teachers by the LAUSD and the promise of our graduating class of new teachers speaks to the powerful work of the UCLA Teacher Education faculty, whose mentorship and expertise have nurtured the knowledge and skills these educators bring to their classrooms every day,” concludes Hipolito. We celebrate these five students, as well as all our students who show up every day ready to teach and make a difference in their students’ lives. “