Clovis High teacher wins California High School Educator of the Year

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Clovis High math teacher is gaining statewide recognition for his dedication and commitment to his students.

It's not always easy to get anyone, let alone a group of high schoolers, excited about AP calculus but Mr. Tosh Demsey does just that.

"One thing that stands out is how much of his personal time he spends giving back to us," said student Megan Esler. "He's available at all hours if we need him."

"He's the most dedicated teacher for sure that I have," added Jacob Eeither. "He's always there."

The 20-year educator didn't miss a beat finding ways to teach his students virtually and was a pioneer for the district, utilizing Zoom in the classroom.

"As our students will tell you, he switched to online learning before he knew how," said Clovis High School Learning Director Sara McAvoy.

"He was just the teacher that cared the most about us as students and our personal life," added Esler. "Especially last year as the pandemic hit us hard."

Amid distance learning, 140 of his students took the statewide AP exam with over 90% passing.

"That's just unheard of and he made it happen for them and didn't give up," said Mcavoy.

"I feel like God called me to become a teacher and make a difference in the lives of my students," said AP Calculus teacher Tosh Demsey. "It's rewarding to see their hard work."

Now he's getting the recognition he deserves, selected from teachers across the state as the California League of Schools High School Educator of the Year.

"I wasn't expecting to win, I was pleasantly surprised," said Demsey.

At the end of the day, he hopes the lessons he teaches extend far beyond the classroom

"If they put in the hard work they can accomplish things that they might have thought previously were too hard for them and I think that's a good life lesson," said Demsey.