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SoCal Honda Dealer's Helpful Guys in Blue presented five local teachers with awards during Teacher Appreciation Week.

It may seem like the Helpful Honda Guys are always getting into the wackiest situations in their commercials, but they really do mean well.

SoCal Honda Dealer’s Helpful Guys in Blue surprised five winning teachers of the 2014 Helpful Honda Teacher Appreciation Awards with more than $25,000 worth of teaching materials, art supplies, iPads and other technology. The teachers were surprised with the news in their classrooms or during school assemblies to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, which occurred from May 5 through 9.

They kicked off the affair in Huntington Park on May 6, surprising their first winner, Severe Pre-School Intensive Special Education Teacher Bill Mitchell, at Pacific Boulevard Elementary School with teaching materials for his special education classroom. Mitchell is an advocate for special education students and provides parents with hands-on training to support the social and emotional development of their children with disabilities.

Kindergarten Teacher Lorena Carbajal, of Dolores Street Elementary School in Carson, received her wishlist of iPads and learning rug for her kindergarten classroom. Dolores Street’s very own former student volunteers a lot of her time, money and resources to her students, and also serves the children as a member of the School Site Council.

The third winner, Laura Castrejon, currently claims the distinguished title as Teacher of the Year at Stoddard Elementary in Anaheim. The fourth grade GATE teacher and activist brought the Stand Up to Bullying national movement to her school. Thanks to her, the program is now imposed district-wide.

Among the other winners were Lynette Ryan of  the Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences in Granada Hills and John Hinkleman, AP U.S. History Teacher and Cross Country Coach at San Bernardino High School. Ryan single-handedly developed the school’s most-demanded science elective program, and she will soon be representing the district at the Aspen Ideas Festival this summer. The Helpful Honda Guys surprised Lynette Ryan with over $5,000 in science supplies. Hinkleman was surprised with a $5,000 Field Trip Fund and more at San Bernardino High School’s Annual Talent Show, which Hinkleman co-created to raise funds for Cross Country & AVID to help kids go to college.

You can view Helpful Honda’s Teacher Appreciation Winner videos at youtube.com/SoCalHondaDealers.

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