Cynthia Sobreyra, a Spanish teacher at Hillsborough High School, is the township schools’ “District Teacher of the Year.”
She will be considered to become the Somerset County Teacher of the Year, and, potentially, recognized on the state level.
In February, each district school selected its teacher of the year. Nine teachers were recognized for their contributions for possessing a talent for inspiring a love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities.
The District Teacher of the Year is chosen from one of the nine building awardwinners.
The choice is made by a panel of administrators, board members, teachers, parents and local education association representatives.
Ms. Sobreyra is also the high school’s honored teacher. In addition to teaching Spanish IV and AP Spanish, Ms. Sobreyra advises the school chapter of the Spanish Honor Society and has served as a reader for the AP Spanish exams through Educational Testing Services. She has taught in Hillsborough since 1997 and at the high school since 2000.
Ms. Sobreyra’s teaching mantra is “Make a difference in the life of a child.” These are the words that she has repeated to herself throughout her career.
”Attending school as a child, I recognized the impact a teacher could have on the life of a student, both positive and negative,” said Ms. Sobreyra. “I am not only referring to the subject matter we teach but also the impact on the child as a whole.”
Ms. Sobreyra said she is keenly aware that sometimes a teacher may never find out the difference he or she makes in a student’s life. On those few occasions when a teacher does learn that turn out to be the “most profoundly rewarding moments,” she said.
Here are the teachers recognized by individual schools:
• Liv Bowring, K-4 writing teacher, Amsterdam Elementary;
• Kate Mahr, K-2 special education teacher, Hillsborough Elementary;
• Renée Meyers, 3rd grade teacher, Triangle Elementary;
• Lisa Friel, transitional primary teacher, Sunnymead Elementary;
• Victoria Freiman, 2nd grade teacher, Woodfern Elementary;
• Alyssa Green, 4th grade teacher, Woods Road Elementary;
• Susan Herndon, 6th grade reading specialist, Auten Road Intermediate School, and
• Robert R. Gill, 8th grade science teacher, Hillsborough Middle School.

