California Teacher of the Year Earned Credential at CSU Stanislaus


Anne Marie Bergen, who received her teaching credential at California State University, Stanislaus and has distinguished herself as a science instructor at Oakdale’s elementary schools, has been named one of five California Teachers of the Year.

Bergen will receive her award January 8 at the state Board of Education meeting in Sacramento.

“It’s an amazing honor,” Bergen said. “This will give me an opportunity to share my enthusiasm for science education. I love what I do and feel privileged to work with youth. Teaching is a great opportunity to use your skills and touch lives. For me, the energy I put into teaching comes back to me from students many times over.”

Bergen said she planned to become a biologist until an internship with Foothill Horizons outdoor education program near Sonora turned her on to a teaching career. She met CSU Stanislaus teacher education professor Kathleen Galbo and an interest in teaching “clicked,” Bergen said.
Bergen, who lives in the Tuolumne County community of Columbia, earned her teaching credential at CSU Stanislaus in 1988.

“I was working with Kathleen Galbo on some independent study work and she was a fantastic teacher, so I came to Stanislaus,” Bergen said.

Galbo said Bergen is “a bright light everywhere she goes,” noting that she cares about students and inspires success with her positive approach.

“The energy she brings to the classroom is contagious,” Galbo said. “We have learned as much from her as she did from us.”

Bergen splits her time among Oakdale elementary schools teaching science, guiding students through classroom experiments and demonstrations while promoting enthusiasm for science topics. She calls on volunteers from the business community to judge the Oakdale School District’s annual science fair.

Contact: Don Hansen (209) 667-3997