Pam Holst named l997 County Teacher of the Year

Pam Holst, a kindergarten teacher who has worked at Roosevelt Elementary School for 14 years, was named 1997 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made at a press conference April 17 by County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone.

Mrs. Holst, one of a number of outstanding countywide nominees for the honor, was selected by a five-person committee composed of teachers and representatives from PTAs  and school boards.

Superintendent Cirone expressed hearty congratulations for Mrs. Holst’s professionalism, enthusiasm, and successes with a broad range of students.

Holst attended El Camino College and received her B.S. and Colorado teaching credential from the University of Colorado.   She received her California teaching credential from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and her library credential after taking courses at Long Beach State, Berkeley, and UCSB.

Prior to her service at Roosevelt, she served as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at McKinley School for grades 4, 5, and 6, and a  librarian at Lincoln School.  She has served as a district mentor for the past three years and has received four Santa Barbara Educational foundation minigrants for various educational projects.  In 1991 she was recipient of the Yvonne Jordan Memorial Fund Grant from the United Nations and in 1989 was named the Santa Barbara museum of Natural History Science and Technology Teacher of the year.  She has been active in the San Marcos Parent/Child Workshop or seven years, and volunteered with the Rebuild Roosevelt committee and bond election campaign. 

She has been an active member of the National Charity League for seven years, and has volunteered literally hundreds of hours to local philanthropies such as Children’s Creative Project, Council of Christmas Cheer, Valle Verde Convalescent Home, Therapeutic Riding Academy, the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Family Service Agency and Girls, Inc.,  She has also been a member of the American Association of University Women for 25 years, holding many offices and currently serving as membership chair.  She also holds memberships in the California Kindergarten Association, the National Association for Young Children, and the PTAs at Mount View, Roosevelt, and San Marcos High Schools.  She has served as curriculum council representative, site council rep., textbook review committee and presenter at staff development inservice days

Said Holst:   “After parenting, teaching is the most important job in the world.  The excitement of learning is the best gift I can give a young child.  Learning the “Three Cs”:  Confidence, curiosity, and creativity--is a necessary prelude to learning the “Three Rs.”  And imagination, like muscle, must be stretched to grown.  The learning environment must be child-centered it must be literature-based, and it must be “hands on.”

Wrote Roosevelt Principal Bonnie Switack:  “Everything Pam does is creative, meticulous and charming.  Her fellow teachers have a lot of respect--and a tad bit of envy--for her incredible store of creative projects for kindergartners.  Pam is a wonderfully creative, energetic, bright and talented teacher.:

Wrote Teacher Lorrene Roberts:  “It’s positively joyful to work with someone who shares enthusiasm for developing new things to do with children!  Her children always love literature, more than any other classes I’ve seen.  They can sit enraptured with a story for longer than some second graders.  Her children show respect to the teacher and to each other. I witness very little bickering among kids in her room, ever.  The room exudes children’s work.  Learning is hands-on, especially in science.  Something “alive” is always in the room. High expectations exist for every child.”

Wrote Special Education Aide Martha Ann Holman:  “On a daily basis Pam opens up the children’s world through books, art, songs, and poetry.  Pam teaches the children respect for each other and each year has the best behaved class in the school.  Each day is an adventure in her classroom and full of fun.”

 Holst’s nomination will next be reviewed for consideration as California Teacher of the Year.  The California winner will then proceed into consideration for National Teacher of the Year. 

As Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Holst will be available to speak countywide, and can be reached at Roosevelt School or at the County Education Office, by calling Nancy Emerson at 964-4711, ext. 281.