‘Unmatched' passion. Tri-Cities Crystal Apple winner named ESD 123 Teacher of the Year

Yahoo

7 days ago

A proud product of the Pasco community, who has dedicated her teaching career to expanding access and opportunities for the region's multi-lingual learners, has been recognized as the 2026 Educational Service District 123 Teacher of the Year.
The accolade also automatically puts Gabriela Whitemarsh, a bilingual mathematics teacher at Pasco High School, in the running for Washington Teacher of the Year.
The state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, OSPI, selects that winner in late summer.
Whitemarsh said she was 'surprised' with the recognition last week at a staff meeting. Superintendent Michelle Whitney and executive staff from ESD 123 presented her a certificate.
'I was humbled, very honored,' Whitemarsh told the Tri-City Herald.
But teaching isn't conducted in a silo, she says, paying credit to her colleagues, administrators, students and families for the honor.
'There are so many people who have helped me along the way,' Whitemarsh said. 'That's not just my own merit, it comes from a whole group of people — both in my personal and professional life — and I am eternally grateful for each and every one of them.'
She was also among nine educators earlier this year who took home the 2025 Tri-City Crystal Apple Awards for Excellence in Education.
Whitemarsh called teaching the 'greatest career ever,' and says it's a privilege to play a role in building up the next generation of leaders.
'It's very personal, and I don't take it for granted at all,' she said.
Pasco High Principal Veronica Machado in a letter of recommendation described Whitemarsh as an individual who cares about 'innovation, equity, collaboration and excellence in education for every student.'
'Her passion and dedication are unmatched, and she has left an indelible impact on her students, her colleagues, and Pasco High School,' Machado wrote.
ESD 123 Superintendent Steve McCullough said in a statement that Whitemarsh's passion, creativity and dedication to educational equity embodied what it means to be a leader in the profession.
'We are honored to have Gabriela represent our region and know she will continue to make an extraordinary impact,' he said.
Whitemarsh is completing her ninth year as a public school teacher.
Prior to coming to Pasco High, she worked nine years at Columbia Basin College as a program director, most notably for the Math Engineering Science Achievement. She also taught mathematics as an adjunct professor.
She is founder the Advanced Multilingual Mathematics Program (HiCap L1 Math) at Pasco High School, an initiative that opens the door to college-level mathematics for newcomer students who previously lacked access.
Whitemarsh says she saw the need herself back when she was attending the school. She was often one of only a handful of Hispanic students who were in advanced courses.
'There are so many who are capable, why aren't there more of us who are taking these courses and being rigorously prepared for college?' she said.
Since the program took off in 2018, about 92 students have completed advanced math courses, and 41 have earned between 5 and 20 college math credits — all while they continued to build a foundation in the English language arts.
Whitemarsh says it's her students and the stories of their families who drive her to continue teaching. Many come to her with varying backgrounds, education levels and at different ages — but each strives to learn and help one another.
'Education is at the heart of what we do. It opens doors and opportunities — and there's a ripple effect,' she said.
Learning is also at the heart of her family. Her husband also works as a math teacher, but at Stevens Middle School. Her parents, who immigrated from Mexico, constantly instilled in her the value of education.
In addition to her teaching duties, Whitemarsh also chairs Pasco High's multilingual department, serves as a bilingual facilitator, and regularly provides professional development to her colleagues on culturally responsive teaching and equitable practices.
She's also been previously recognized for dedicating countless hours toward tutoring students one-on-one during the COVID pandemic and for being a mentor to her colleagues.
Whitemarsh has also previously been involved in leadership positions with the regional Hispanic Academic Achievers Program — a program she benefited from — which has awarded scholarships to youth in the Hispanic community since 1991.