Each year on April 23rd, the Pleasanton PTA Council, in partnership with the Pleasanton Unified School District, presents the Excellence in Education Award to recognize outstanding educators and staff. Originally started by the PPIE in the early 2000s, the award honors both certificated and uncertificated individuals who make a meaningful impact in schools.
The tradition was revived in 2007 by the PTA to continue celebrating those who go above and beyond for their students and school communities. On March 30, Amador Valley math teacher Ms. Samantha Allen learned she was this year’s honoree.
“I was surprised for sure because I feel like everyone should be recognized for their teaching. I would want everyone at some point in their career to be recognized for their teaching. It does feel really nice to be seen for what I have been doing and putting in the work for” said Allen.
Ms. Allen has taught at Amador Valley for 11 years, helping students grow through a variety of math courses. Whether she’s guiding students in Honors Algebra 2 or supporting them in academic intervention classes, her focus is always on student development.
“My love for teaching comes from the idea that I get to work with students every day. I love being able to see growth daily, but also growth throughout each year,” said Allen. “The variety in classes that you can teach is amazing. [This year] I’m teaching Honors Algebra 2, but also I’m doing academic support and working with more struggling students, and both of them fulfill me,”.
Recognition Among Students
Students consistently recognize her dedication and care.
“My experience with Ms. Allen was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with a teacher at Amador. She was on top of everything and made sure every student was understanding and very passionate about teaching the class. For me personally, note taking was very difficult, and the way she would do her notes was so helpful. That was definitely a really big influence on my note-taking habits,” said Nailah Howell-Peters (‘25).
Peters is not the only student Allen had an impact on. Each student who had Ms. Allen as a teacher took away different lessons for the future.
“…as a teacher, she was such a kind and understanding teacher, and she definitely made taking an honors math class a lot less daunting. Even though the class was really hard, she was always willing to help us and was very engaging with her students. She always made sure that every single one of us understood the math and she always wanted the best for us, whether that would be if we were struggling or we were doing really well in the class, she always made sure that we were doing the best that we could,” said Zara Nesar (‘25).
Advice for Aspiring Educators
When asked what advice she would give to future teachers, Allen emphasized perseverance and community.
“I would say that the first couple of years are the hardest, and you just have to get past those first few years. Once you do, it’s probably one of the most rewarding careers that you can get into because you’re seeing changes in students daily, and not many careers give you that sense of fulfillment,” said Allen.
Ms. Allen’s award is a testament to her years of dedication, impact, and love for teaching. Amador Valley celebrates her recognition and the many lives she continues to inspire in the classroom.