Celebrating Excellence: Rotary Club Honors PUSD’s Top Educators of 2025

Frop Top clockwise: Lisbet Nepf, Julie Ysassi, Barri Messersmith, Sang Lee, Martin Dorado.

The Rotary Club of Pasadena has proudly recognized five outstanding educators from the Pasadena Unified School District with its annual Teachers of Excellence Award. These dedicated professionals were celebrated for their exceptional contributions to students, schools, and the broader community.

Introducing the 2025 Teachers of Excellence:

• Martin Dorado, 5th Grade Teacher at Madison Elementary School – also named PUSD’s 2025 Teacher of the Year

• Sang Lee, English and Journalism Teacher at Thurgood Marshall Secondary School

• Barri Messersmith, Kindergarten Teacher at Sierra Madre Elementary School

• Lisbet Nepf, History Teacher at Sierra Madre Middle School

• Julie Ysassi, 3rd Grade Teacher at Hamilton Elementary School

These educators exemplify excellence in teaching and are making a lasting impact on the lives of their students.

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD), 351 S. Hudson Avenue, Pasadena, (626) 396-3600 or visit www.pusd.us.

Rotary Club of Pasadena, 556 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, (626) 400-6750 or visit https://www.pasadenarotary.com/.