Canyons District names Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez 2025 Teacher of the Year

Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez, a dual‑language immersion teacher at Midvale Elementary, was named the Canyons School District’s 2025 Teacher of the Year at a district ceremony that honored nominees from every school and program in the district.

The award, announced by Canyons School District officials, names Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez the district’s representative for the Utah Teacher of the Year competition and includes a package of prizes and a $1,000 cash total for the overall winner. District leaders said more than 4,000 nominations were submitted during the selection window.

The district presented finalists from elementary, middle and high school levels — Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez (Midvale Elementary), Lauren Nielsen (Albion Middle School) and Alistair Wright (Diamond Ridge High School) — before naming de la Cruz Rodriguez the overall winner. District communications staff Jeff Haney said at the ceremony, “Canyons teachers rock.”

Why it matters: the program recognizes classroom practice and community impact across the district and gives the winning teacher a platform at the state level. The Canyons Education Foundation and corporate sponsors provided prizes and monetary awards; Cypress Credit Union donated the cash prizes, and Real Salt Lake provided jerseys and two tickets for each teacher of the year to the district’s designated night at America First Field on June 14.

Selection process and prizes The district said school- and program-level teachers of the year were chosen after more than 4,000 nominations. From those nominees, site teams and an academic review group conducted classroom observations and reviewed student achievement data to select finalists. Directors of school performance presented awards to each school’s honoree; the three level winners (elementary, middle, high school) each received $500 from the Canyons Education Foundation, and the overall district winner received an additional $500 from the foundation, bringing that individual’s cash total to $1,000.

Other honors announced during the program included the 2025 Preschool Teacher of the Year, Quail Hollow’s Amanda Kissel, and Instructional Coach of the Year, Susie Young of Eastmont Middle School. Foundation leaders Denise Haycock and Fred Lowry described grant and support programs the foundation runs, including innovation grants and resource closets for students in need.

Finalists and highlights - Lucia de la Cruz Rodriguez (Midvale Elementary): A bilingual/dual‑language immersion teacher, colleagues described her as consistently using positive feedback and classroom routines that engage all students; she told the audience, “The best way that I found to improve myself...is by paying attention to my students.” - Lauren Nielsen (Albion Middle School): Recognized for building relationships through extracurricular programs and instruction in Utah history. - Alistair Wright (Diamond Ridge High School): Noted for credit‑recovery programs and efforts to reengage students, including plans for experiential programs such as a seasonal ski program.

Community context and memorial District leaders acknowledged a recent death of a student at Granite Elementary and recognized teachers’ roles supporting grieving families. Superintendent Dr. Rick Robbins said teachers “touch our students’ lives forever,” and the ceremony singled out Taylor Schwabbe of Granite Elementary for her support to a family during that student’s hospitalization. The recognition and remarks about the Granite community occurred as part of the ceremony’s opening comments, not as a district action or policy change.

Sponsors and community partners Canyons Education Foundation served as co‑sponsor for the program. District remarks and the foundation’s presentation named multiple local supporters who donated prizes or services, including Cypress Credit Union and Real Salt Lake. The foundation leader noted existing foundation programs such as innovation grants and weekend backpacks for students; the foundation also referenced district needs including a cited figure of roughly 2,000 students identified as experiencing homelessness.

What’s next De la Cruz Rodriguez will represent Canyons School District in the Utah Teacher of the Year competition. The district also encouraged attendance at the June 14 Real Salt Lake game designated as Canyons District Night, when teachers of the year will be welcomed onto the field at halftime.

Ending The ceremony recognized dozens of school and program winners across the district; district officials and foundation representatives emphasized community support for teachers and the foundation’s continued grantmaking and student support programs.