Congratulations to Rachel Clark, this year's Hal and Joann Tehan Award Recipient, and Tammy Yung, Teacher of the Year. 

The Tehan Award

The Tehan Award was established by Hal Tehan to honor a teacher whose life and work demonstrates strong integration of the Ursuline mission.

Rachel Clark, who just completed her eleventh year at Ursuline, is a Science teacher, Freshman Grade Dean (next year, she will be a Sophomore Grade Dean), and a Global Learning Leader. She's previously taught Math and Engineering Design Innovation at Ursuline. 

She loves being a teacher at Ursuline because of the strong Catholic identity, the incredible students, and her inspiring colleagues. 

"I feel blessed every day to be a part of this community," she said.

To Clark, the most rewarding part about teaching is watching a student finally master something she has struggled to learn.

"It brings me so much joy," she said. "It's the best feeling for a teacher to see her students succeed."

She is humbled to be selected for the Tehan Award - and still in shock!

"It is an honor to be recognized, especially knowing how outstanding the other nominees are," she said.

To unwind, Clark loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, bake, go to the theater, and laugh with her friends.

Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year is a peer-nominated award for someone who serves as a role model for students and models 21st century learning skills and teaching tools.

Tammy Yung, who just completed her thirteenth year at Ursuline, is the Math Department Chair, a Math teacher, and works with Mu Alpha Theta, the Math Honors Society.

Her favorite part about being a teacher at Ursuline is working with the incredible students and faculty that have a passion for learning.

"I value the comradery of my colleagues and our shared passion for helping students become lifelong learners," she said. "I particularly love helping students make the connection between math and their future careers."

She finds it most rewarding when students share that they have found a connection between classroom work and the world around them.

"Each time a student comes back to class explaining how they found a logarithmic equation to determine the age of their pet, recognized the golden spiral on a playground, or saw how shadows and trigonometry came alive on the sidewalk, it energizes me to help them discover even more patterns and practical applications," she said.

Yung is honored to have received the Teacher of the Year award. 

"I am grateful to work with such dedicated and talented teachers and administrators who inspire me daily to give my best for our students," she said.

In her free time, Yung loves to spend time with her family, including three daughters who are all Ursuline grades, bike riding, gardening, and practicing yoga.

"My oldest daughter just got married and now she is expecting a baby, so that will be my focus for the coming year," she said.