Hannah Martinez named 2026 Yuma County Teacher of the Year at 39th annual banquet

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Hundreds of educators gathered Thursday evening at the Yuma Civic Center for the 39th Annual Teacher of the Year Banquet. A night dedicated to celebrating excellence in education across Yuma County.

Hosted by the Education Foundation of Yuma County in partnership with the Yuma Rotary Club, the annual event is considered the biggest night in education locally. Teachers from across the county arrived in style, walking a red carpet lined with photos of past Teacher of the Year honorees.

The banquet honored standout educators across four grade-level categories:

Primary (Pre-K through 3rd grade)

Intermediate/Special Area (4th grade through 6th grade)

Middle School/Junior High (6th grade through 8th grade)

High School (9th grade through 12th grade)

In total, the finalists were selected through a process that included nominations from principals, followed by personal essays and professional videos.

(Winners bolded) Finalists included Claudia Alvarez, Hannah Martinez and Martha Vasquez in the Primary category; Fauna Bushong, Teresa Teeter and Loran Tyler in Intermediate; Jonathan Bailey, McKenna Casas and Karlynsia Terrazas in Middle School; and Gregory Brown, Eric Frost and Mark Van Voorst in High School.

Each category winner received a trophy along with several prizes, including a voucher for three credit hours from Northern Arizona University-Yuma, a $100 Staples gift card, a $500 Elite MedSpa + Wellness gift card and a 12-month membership to 4th Ave Gym.

At the end of the night, the program built to its most anticipated moment, the announcement of the 2026 Yuma County Teacher of the Year. That honor went to Hannah Martinez of Palmcroft Elementary school.

Martinez, a Yuma native, joins her mom who also won the award in 1998. She delivered a heartfelt message after receiving the award, dedicating the recognition to her students and the community.

“To my students, I love you guys. And you guys are the reason why I’m doing anything," Martinez said. "To my Yuma community, as a Yuman, born and raised out here, I love Yuma. I love how much Yuma has invested in local businesses. So now I would love to turn that attention to public education.”

She emphasized her passion for teaching and the role education plays in shaping future generations.

"I truly believe in the power of education. I believe knowledge is power," Martinez said. "And so the fact I get to help a young generation find that knowledge and see what it can do for them is what keeps me going."

Martinez also reflected on the significance of receiving the award early in her career.

"It's insane," she said. "I'm at Palmcroft Elementary where teachers, once they've been there, they don't leave. They've been there for 40 years, 20 years. And so the fact that they recognized me, someone only three years into public education, is beyond what I can imagine."

In addition to the Teacher of the Year honor, the event also recognized educators from Arizona Western College and Northern Arizona University-Yuma.

Along with the induction of a new Estelle Dingus Hall of Fame honoree. Yuma High School graduate, Jason Maas, was inducted into the Education Foundation of Yuma County Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Estelle Dingus Award for the person who is a product of Yuma County schools who has made a significant impact outside of Yuma County. Maas has been the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League since 2022.

As the evening came to a close, organizers said the banquet continues to highlight the lasting impact educators have both inside and outside the classroom. The event serves as a reminder of the vital role teachers play in shaping the Yuma County community.

Martinez received the top prize package, which included additional gifts and a seven-day trip for two to Hawaii.