Canyon Oaks third grade teacher named Napa County Teacher of the Year

Elizabeth “Liz” Corey always wanted to be a teacher, but she didn’t start to pursue her dreams until later in life amid raising twins and being a first-generation college student.

But after nine years of teaching third graders at Canyon Oaks Elementary School in American Canyon, Corey was named the 2024 Napa County Teacher of the Year for her innovative and energetic teaching style.

Corey, 56, started off as a parent volunteer and jazzercise instructor.

Her grandparents immigrated from Mexico, and her parents earned their high school diplomas, so they were happy she received a good high school education, but weren’t necessarily thinking about college, she said.

As a kid, thought, she said she admired her former teacher, Tanya Opfermann, and wanted to be just like her one day.

When she started to volunteer at Canyon Oaks where her twin sons attended, the principal at the time saw her potential and wanted to support Corey in pursuing her dreams of becoming a teacher.

So, Corey went on to get her associate degree, bachelor’s degree, teacher credential and ultimately a master’s degree while substituting at American Oaks and several other schools. She started teaching third grade there at age 47.

“I really feel like getting this award is insane,” Corey said, adding that she was surprised to hear all the kind remarks, including about her innovative teaching style.

She said she takes a different approach to teaching, preferring to empower kids to be independent and talk to them as “little humans” rather than to coddle them. She also revived a school garden, where she likes to teach among the plants.

The Napa County Office of Education selected Corey out of eight teachers nominated in the county.

The process included an essay by the nominee, their principal’s letter of recommendation and a classroom visit by Napa County Superintendent Barbara Nemko and members of the Napa Valley Education Foundation.

“We have many amazing teachers in Napa County, which can make our decision a difficult one,” Nemko said in a news release.

“Liz Corey impressed the team with her energetic and inclusive teaching style,” she added. “Her students were engaged and excited about what they were learning. They asked questions and put forth ideas. Ms. Corey encourages and empowers students to take an active part in their learning and to help each other to succeed.”

Corey said that during her first year, she revived the school garden and started an extremely popular after-school gardening club, which typically has a waitlist of about 50 students.

“I was amazed by how much they loved it,” Corey said. “And so when I saw how kids really respond to just be in the sun, that was a huge turning point for me.”

In addition to science, she also teaches math, art, reading and life skills in the garden.

Her principal, Stephanie Vasquez, who nominated Corey, said in the release that Corey’s approach “has been transformative in nurturing a caring, empathetic and positive learning community among students and staff alike.”

“Liz's efforts have not only enriched our school's social fabric but have also provided a model for how educational environments can support whole-child development and growth in their learning,” Vasquez said.

Corey said she didn’t expect to fall in love with teaching third grade but calls it a pivotal period where kids are learning things to prepare them for the rest of their lives.

“There's all this crazy growth that happens in so many ways, and it's so important to give them that empowerment,” she said. “You know like ‘this is going to be something that you're always going to be able to do and we're going do this together in little steps.’”

To the many who have asked if she wants to become an administrator, her answer is: “That is not my jam; maybe if I started earlier in my life.”

“But right now, there's just so many exciting things happening in education... this is definitely my home: just where I'm at right now.”

As Napa County Teacher of the Year, Corey will move on to compete for California Teacher of the Year this summer.

You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8531 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter,) @alana_minkler.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that Corey has two twins, a boy and a girl, and that she substituted at multiple schools.