Tina Yu-Wong named Walnut High School teacher of the year

Chemistry teacher Tina Yu-Wong was recognized as Walnut High School’s teacher of the year on Oct.16 at the annual Salute to Teachers.

The Teacher of the Year award is nominated by staff members and is decided by a committee that discusses who is most deserving of the award. Chemistry teacher Garett Lim surprised Yu-Wong by setting up a poster with an invisible ink-like substance and having her students spray the poster, revealing that she had won Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year. 

“Ms. Yu-Wong helped me a lot when I started teaching here. She’s an awesome colleague to work with, so I think I thought she was very deserving of the recognition,” Lim said, “[When I started at Walnut] she basically said if you need anything, let me know. She led me through what we had to teach and gave me a bunch of resources I could use. She’s always up for giving suggestions and advice.”

Yu-Wong has not only impacted students she has also impacted multiple staff members. Industrial dean administrator Martha Dibell believes that Yu-Wong creates a fun and welcoming environment, and instills beliefs into her students. 

“Often referred to as an ‘unsung hero’ within the science department, Yu-Wong consistently goes above and beyond, excelling in her work behind the scenes without seeking recognition or praise. Her dedication, passion, and commitment to her students and her craft make her a true asset to the school community,” Dibell said. “Mrs. Yu-Wong creates a dynamic learning environment that promotes active student participation and encourages every child to reach their full potential.”

Yu-Wong earned her bachelor’s degree in biology at Cal State Fullerton and her masters in education at Walden University. Teaching at Walnut was Yu-Wong’s first job, and she has been teaching at Walnut for over 28 years. When she received the Teacher of the Year award last spring, Yu-Wong felt ambivalence.

“[I had] mixed emotions, I feel like most teachers on campus deserve this award. I don’t feel like I’m more special than other teachers. I feel like it’s an award that every single teacher should get,” Yu-Wong said. 

As a teacher, Yu-Wong hopes to teach her students life lessons such as being cordial, anything is possible and to learn from their life experiences. 

“I think the kids feel that when they come into my room, I give them this sense of being comfortable [so] that we can talk as human beings to one another,” Yu-Wong said.

According to Yu-Wong’s students, she incorporates teaching methods such as Kahoot! and engaging labs with prizes. She makes the material easy to understand and lessons fun while being educational. Outside of chemistry, Yu-Wong has impacted students’ lives by providing students with a comfortable and positive environment.

“She’s a really eccentric but very sweet person,” former student senior Bryan Cardeno said. “Mrs. Yu is always willing to help a student, or have a conversation with a student, if needed. She made everyone feel more comfortable, she’s a really great teacher, because she truly cares about the class and she genuinely cares for her students…Mrs. Yu been one of my favorite teachers of all time, because she genuinely helped me learn and even when I was struggling, she was there for me. ”