Local educator one of seven honored by governor

Gov. Rick Scott this week honored seven educators, including a teacher from Marion County.

The Governor's Shine Award is presented to Florida teachers and administrators who make significant contributions to the field of education. The educators honored by the governor are the 2017 District Teachers of the Year and 2018 State Teacher of the Year Finalists.

Juan "Diego" Fuentes teaches music to sixth through 12th graders at Hillcrest School, a school for special needs students in Ocala. Fuentes is the 2017 Hillcrest School Teacher of the Year, the 2017 Marion County District Teacher of the Year and is one of five statewide finalists for the 2018 Department of Education/Macy's Teacher of the Year. He has been teaching for 18 years.

Also honored with Governor's Shine Awards were Latrece Brown, Duval County; Katelyn Fiori, Indian River County; Janeen Gibson, Hardee County; Tammy Ross Jerkins, Lake County; Lyndita Saunders, Collier County; and Kristen White, Santa Rosa County.

"The hard work and commitment of these outstanding educators has been recognized in their schools and districts and I'm proud to present them with the Governor's Shine Award. I applaud their dedication to ensuring students across Florida are prepared for success in college and a future career," Scott said in a press release.

In his acceptance speech during the Golden Apple awards ceremony earlier this year, during which he was named Marion County Teacher of the Year, Fuentes said, “My dad used to say that music was the language of the world. It was for us. His English wasn’t very fluent. I didn’t speak Spanish. He liked classical and flamenco guitar. I loved Zeppelin, Sabbath and Hendrix. But he would drop whatever he was doing just to hear me play guitar. He loved the way I played guitar. When I played — he listened. Music connected us. Every day music connects me to my students. And my students with each other.”