Estancia teacher named tops in county

Christine Carrillo

It was surreal. It was wild.

And Pauline Maranian, a teacher of nine years, had trouble

composing herself.

In her drama class packed with 44 high school students, Maranian

received the news: The seven-year Estancia High School teacher had

been selected as one of Orange County’s Teachers of the Year.

“I’m just doing my job ... I feel humbled by it all,” said

Maranian, who also teaches English. “I’ve always felt like it’s a

calling. It’s very honoring and validating and it just makes me want

to be even better.”

The Orange County Department of Education selected Maranian from a

list of teachers nominated by each of the districts within the

county.

After completing an arduous application process and interviewing

before a panel of judges, the 34-year-old teacher was selected as one

of the five recipients of the golden-apple trophy.

“I think it’s terrific, she’s a great teacher and it’s an honor

well earned,” said Tom Antal, principal at Estancia High School.

“Teaching is all about making the students better and helping them

learn. She’s just singular at doing that ... [students] grow under

her leadership.”

By sharing her passion, creativity and knowledge with her

students, Maranian has made her mark on many of the students who pass

through her classroom year after year.

“She’s recognized as one of the top teachers in the entire county,

that honor is just extreme,” Antal said. “She’s a life changer. She’s

the type of teacher that makes an impact on a student that lasts a

life time.”

Many students whose lives she touched jumped at the chance to talk

about the teacher they’ve come to love. Provided with a plethora of

praise, Newport-Mesa Unified School District Supt. Robert Barbot

didn’t have any trouble finding students to help him write a letter

on her behalf for the county judges to review.

“She’s really an outstanding teacher, a great teacher ... they

could not have picked a better person,” said Barbot, who was even

further convinced of her teaching talents after speaking with her

students. “I think she really represents the teaching profession. She

epitomizes the best of the best.”

Not used to being the focus of such praise, Maranian was a little

uncomfortable with her countywide acclaim. But proving to be a

consummate educator, she turned her success back on her students.

For her, being able to teach and hopefully affect the lives of her

students gives her the biggest reward.

“I think teaching is a lot like entering the battlefields,” she

said. “There are a lot of casualties sometimes, but you always have

to remember you’re fighting the good fight even though you don’t

always see the effects of what you’re doing until years later.”

* CHRISTINE CARRILLO covers education and may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at christine.carrillo@latimes.com.