Crane’s Neomi Pharmes named 2025 Yuma County Teacher of the Year

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A Crane Middle School math teacher is now the 2025 Yuma County Teacher of the Year.

Neomi Pharmes received the top honor Thursday night at the 38th Annual Teacher of the Year banquet, hosted at the Yuma Civic Center.

The event brought hundreds of educators, community leaders, and families together to celebrate the impact of education across the region.

Pharmes, one of 12 finalists, stood out for her student-first mindset and deep belief in the importance of building trust and connection in the classroom.

"I'm just lost for words at the moment," she said after receiving the award. "To know that I get to do what I love every day is amazing. It's not just a job...It's a calling.”

Her teaching philosophy is simple: before teaching content, she builds relationships.

"Once a child knows you, they don't care how much you know...They want to know how much you care," Pharmes said during her acceptance speech. "Some days, a student may not be ready to learn. They just need some love. Well, I really love them."

That love, she says, is rooted in her own upbringing. As a student, her classroom was a safe space, thanks to teachers who believed in her and encouraged her to dream big.

Her husband, Zelek Pharmes, says it's that same love that guides her every day.

"She loves what she does. She loves building kids," he said. "She doesn't see race or background...she loves people. That comes from her faith and her belief that every child deserves to be seen, heard, and loved."

Crane Schools Superintendent Laurie Doering says the award recognizes more than just teaching ability.

"The type of person that wins this event is someone who's an advocate and an ambassador for education," Doering said. "They represent the best of what it means to be an educator in Yuma County."

Pharmes also had a message for fellow teachers in the room: keep going.

"Regardless if things get difficult," she said. "You get up and you do it again. And you do it again. And you do it again."

Additional award recipients included:

• Primary Education: Desiree Cooksey, C.W. McGraw Elementary School
• Intermediate/Special Area: Fauna Bushong, Wellton Elementary School
• Middle School/Junior High: Gillian Eberhart, Ron Watson Middle School
• High School: Jonica Flores, Cibola High School

Higher Education Honorees:

• Amber Ortega, Arizona Western College
• Margaret Fenske, Arizona Western College
• Dr. Jessie Lundin, Northern Arizona University-Yuma
• Dr. Wendy Zender, Northern Arizona University-Yuma

Yuma County Education Hall of Fame Inductees:

• Michael “Mike” Wicks
• Danny Garcia
• Olivia Elizondo Zepeda
• Yuma Rotary Club
• Dr. David Lott

Congratulations to Neomi Pharmes and all this year's honorees for their continued commitment to education in Yuma County.