TEMECULA – Cheerleaders, a choir, the marching band, and students in lab coats and goggles, were part of the parade of students and educators who marched through the quad at Temecula Valley High School to the classroom of Ziba Mayar on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, where Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez, announced that the school’s teacher of the year had been named the second 2026 Riverside County Teacher of the Year.

Ziba Mayar teaches Advanced Placement (AP) Biology and Forensics at Temecula Valley High School in the Temecula Valley Unified School District. In addition, she has served as an induction coach for new teachers, a department lead, a teacher on special assignment, and an advisor to multiple clubs on campus.

“Mrs. Mayar is a transformative science teacher. She blends rigor, relevance, and relationships to ensure that every student thrives in her classroom and beyond,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “She is an educator who not only teaches content, but transforms lives through commitment, creativity, and community.”

“It's a privilege to work in this district and learn and teach alongside thousands of students. I'm so fortunate to work in a district where I constantly interact with other amazing educators,” Ziba Mayar said immediately following the surprise announcement to more than 200 people—mostly students—who gathered outside of her classroom. “We're here every day for you. We show up for you and we love it. I absolutely love it. This is an honor.”

Last week, San Jacinto Unified School District preschool teacher, Anthony Segura, was named as the first 2026 Riverside County Teacher of the Year. Two more 2026 Riverside County Teachers of the Year will be revealed in upcoming surprise visits. Once named, all four teachers of the year will represent Riverside County in the 2026 California Teacher of the Year competition.

About Ziba Mayar

Ziba Mayar doesn’t describe teaching simply as her profession, but as “a craft, a joy, and a calling with a very deep sense of purpose.”

Creative collaborations with cross-disciplinary colleagues on campus, criminal justice professionals, and higher education partners, provide unique opportunities for her students to connect learning to real-world science applications and problem-solving.

Students in her science and forensics classes at Temecula Valley High School take decomposition study trips to local farms, partner with automotive and physics teachers for car crash crime scene investigations, and connect with ceramics and anatomy teachers for a unit on facial reconstruction investigations. Ziba has invited experts from Mt. San Jacinto College and University of California, Riverside, to deliver training sessions on topics ranging from biotechnology to entomology.

Ziba grew up as a second language learner and immigrant who struggled to see educators like herself represented in her own educational journey. Her experiences are the foundation for her philosophy that learning is only meaningful when students have a sense of identity and belonging in their classrooms and on their campuses.

Now in her 25^th year of teaching (17^th in her current position), Ziba earned her undergraduate degree in biology from San Diego State University and her master’s degree from Grand Canyon University. She is a resident of Murrieta.

Recent Riverside County teachers selected as California Teachers of the Year include:

• 2025 – Robert (Bob) Mauger, Corona High School, Corona-Norco USD
• 2022 – Nichi Aviña, Cielo Vista Charter School, Palm Springs USD
• 2021 – Keisa Brown, University Heights Middle School, Riverside USD, and Allison Cyr, Lyndon B. Johnson Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
• 2020 – Brenda Chavez-Barreras, Good Hope Elementary School, Perris ESD
• 2019 – Dr. Angel Mejico, El Cerrito Middle School, Corona-Norco USD
• 2018 – Dr. Brian McDaniel, Painted Hills Middle School, Palm Springs USD
• 2017 – Shaun Bunn, Ethan A. Chase Middle School, Romoland School District 
• 2016 – Michelle Cherland, Carrillo Ranch Elementary School, Desert Sands USD
• 2014 – Jessica Pack, James Workman Middle School, Palm Springs USD

The Riverside County Teachers of the Year are selected from nearly 20,000 educators in the county. The rigorous application process requires candidates to spend time reflecting on, and carefully defining, their teaching philosophy. The county teachers of the year are selected on the basis of nominations by teachers, principals, and school district administrators throughout the county. Applications are then submitted to the Riverside County Office of Education, where a selection committee reviews the applications of each district candidate and selects semi-finalists. The selection committee then conducts interviews and site visits to select the final four candidates before the county superintendent announces the Riverside County Teachers of the Year.