Ji Kim was honored by Schools First and OCDE as a Semi Finalist for representing all of Orange County as the Teacher of the Year for California.

Pictured here (standing to seated, left to right) Mike Ingalls, Ji's husband, GGUSD Board Members (Vice President) Lan Nguyen and Walter Muneton, Assistant Superintendent Lisa Swartz, Ji's parents, Mrs. Kim herself, retired 4th grade teacher Linda Clark, and current sixth grade teacher Janet Padget. 

Only three teachers from GGUSD represented all 70 Garden Grove schools among 61 Orange County nominees. Among these were 9 Semi Finalists, 6 Finalists, and 1 OC representative from among these to undergo the same process of selection to represent all of California to the selection made among the 50 United States. Of course, I think Mrs. Kim should have represented the nation (I'm sure I have no bias at all! 😃)