Kristen LoPrell, math teacher and department chair at Grossmont High School, is one of the 2025 California Teachers of the Year. She says she didn't fall in love with calculus until a professor told her to change her major back. "That's what really ignited my passion for helping math make sense to those that hate it, those that think they can't do it. And honestly myself, I wanted to prove I was worthy of belonging. I wanted the math I did in the future to have a direct human impact, no matter what that was." More member profiles: https://www.calstrs.com/teacher-profiles

Retired teacher Jeannine Kato spent part of her career in special education and the rest in elementary school bilingual education.  "As a child, I didn't know which way I wanted to go, but then I got the most fantastic teachers in my life in high school. And I realized I needed to be an educator, because they saw my potential and they nurtured it, and you know that's what good teachers do." More videos about California educators: https://www.calstrs.com/videos-about-teachers

Learn how Elaine Roque went from volleyball champ to department chair of kinesiology and athletics at Santa Monica College.  "I started here thinking I was just going to do this for a year or two for fun. Then I thought I would retire by 50. Then came 55. It's one of those things, it flies. And they say time flies when you're having fun, so I guess I had a lot of fun.  After just stepping down as chair, she's looking forward to enjoying her hobbies more and she helped establish two scholarships at the college.  "CalSTRS has given me incredible confidence about retirement."  Learn more: https://www.calstrs.com/teacher-profiles

Amelia Acuña, fifth grade teacher at Howe Avenue Elementary in Sacramento, believes in teaching the whole child and teaching them life skills.  "You guys are one day going to be adults. How will you give back? How will you make change? And so that has blossomed into different things." Watch more teacher profiles: https://www.calstrs.com/teacher-profiles

Adapting History is an oral telling of American music through history and American history through music. From gospel to blues, jazz to R&B, America has produced some of the most innovative music of the 20th century. Although the songs are easy on the ears, their inception occurred in cultural climates that were often discordant. In Adapting History, musical artist Dahlak uses spoken word poetry to narrate the complex history of our nation. His musical chronicle shows that despite conflict and misunderstanding, we can still be brilliantly creative. Adapting History was created in collaboration with and commissioned by Montalvo Arts Center’s Education Department, OneBeat via the U.S. State Department, ArtPower UCSD, and the Mondavi Center at UC Davis.

Our first single from our new album "Press Here For Bedtime Stories" Filmed, directed and edited by Vincente Almanza Shoutout to Darling Aviary for letting use their space for the video! https://linktr.ee/CitizenSnips

We're happy to share William's incredible story! Once a client, William is now employed fulltime and a part of the SSHH family.