Longtime Lompoc High School drama teacher Sarah Barthel was named the 2016 Performing Arts Teacher of the Year for Santa Barbara County.
The award is the first of its kind, and was created through a partnership between the Santa Barbara County Education Office and the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation Education Outreach, which is dedicated to supporting performing arts in the community.
“I am truly honored to have been selected as the Performing Arts Teacher of the Year for Santa Barbara County,” Barthel said in a press release. “It is a privilege to work with the students at Lompoc High School every day. I love being part of a process that helps them realize they are capable of more than they ever imagined, both onstage and off.”
In addition to her role at Lompoc High, Barthel is involved with Lompoc Civic Theatre and regularly facilitates collaboration between the two organizations on dramatic productions.
Barthel often keeps in touch with her former students who give her high praise for her influence on their theater careers, like former student and current colleague at Lompoc High, Alyssa Prieto.
“Sarah Barthel has been one of the most influential people in my life. She was my theater arts teacher all four years of high school, and then became my master teacher throughout my year of student teaching,” Prieto said in the release.
Barthel has led numerous class trips to PCPA, as well as two student trips to New York City. She also organizes opportunities for elementary students to see portions of her school’s drama productions and engages students in question-and-answer sessions regarding various aspects of theatre.
“Sarah’s passion, energy, and enthusiasm for the performing arts has inspired students of all ages to embrace, nurture, and support the arts in both their professional and personal lives,” county Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone said in the release.
Barthel’s students will provide entertainment as part of the “A Salute to Teachers” program, a gala event recognizing seven award-winning educators from Santa Barbara county, which will be held at 5 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara.
Tickets are available by calling the Lobero box office at 963-0761 or visiting lobero.com.
This article appears in Oct 22-29, 2015.
