An East Oakland middle school teacher is one of five to receive California's 2012 Teacher of the Year Award.

I'Asha Warfield teaches English and world history at Frick Middle School. She says the school used to have a bad reputation, but that's changed over the past decade.
 
"To say I teach at Frick," Warfield says, "usually, I am met with a gasp. But Frick has grown so much over the last thirteen years I have been here, and I think getting this award shines a light on that."

Warfield is also the state's candidate for National Teacher of the Year.  She also coaches new teachers getting their first credential, and is a consultant with the Bay Area Writing Project. 

The state's other Teachers of the Year come from Southern California: Sebastien Paul De Clerck of Ventura, David Goldenberg of Tustin, Veronica Marquez of Los Angeles, and Martin Reisert of Poway in San Diego County.