Crismon High teacher in Queen Creek wins state award

Crismon High School teacher Andrea Pettit has been named the 2025 Arizona Middle Grades Teacher of the Year.

The award comes from the  Arizona Association for Middle Level Education, a professional education service group for those who teach students between the ages of 10 and 15, according to the group’s website.

The award process began with Pettit’s administrators nominating her, supported by letters from colleagues and parents. From there, a committee reviewed each nomination before selecting the winners.

For Pettit, the recognition is more than just an award. It reflects her love for teaching and the deep relationships she has built within the Queen Creek Unified School District community.

“I’ve really found my niche with the middle-grade students, so my seventh- and eighth-graders,” Pettit stated in a district press release. “I also love teaching the high schoolers that I get to inspire to be teachers in my Ed Professions class. Hopefully, I inspire them to also want to teach middle-grade students.”

Pettit teaches math, a subject many students can find intimidating. Yet, she finds joy in helping them succeed.

“What inspires me to connect with my students is when I see them understand the concepts that I’m teaching, and to see the moments when their hard work pays off,” she stated. “Teaching mathematics is not everybody’s favorite subject, so having them be excited to learn also makes me feel great.”

Now in her seventh year with QCUSD, Pettit has supported student council and many extracurricular activities, in the process building connections with families.

“I just love the people. I love the community. Staying within QCUSD has allowed me to develop deeper relationships with families and students, and I couldn’t imagine teaching anywhere else,” Pettit stated in the release.