FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Receives $5,000 cash and podcast feature

Dave Suarez, social sciences teacher and golf coach at Palisades Charter High School, has been honored with the prestigious Honored National Teaching Award for June 2025 for his incredible impact on students during and after the Palisades Fire. As part of his honor, he received a $5,000 cash award and was featured on Inspiring Teachers: The Honored Podcast.

In January 2025, the Palisades Fires brought devastation to California, destroying homes and parts of Palisades Charter High School. In the aftermath, Suarez banded his golf teams together to help students navigate the challenges and surround them with support. During this time, Suarez saw how sports play a powerful role in bringing people together and providing a sense of normalcy for students during uncertain times.

Suarez was nominated for the Honored Award by his student and athlete, Jacob. Jacob recognized Suarez for his ability to connect classroom concepts and real-world applications. Jacob also highlighted the support Suarez provided him during and after the Palisades Fire. In Jacob’s words, he’s “forever grateful that [Coach Suarez] was able to help me get back to the game I love.”

To hear more about the inspiring impact of Dave Suarez’s teaching and coaching, listen to his story at https://honored.podbean.com/e/high-school-teacher-and-coach-is-changing-lives-after-the-palisades-fire-june-2025-honoree-dave-suarez/. 

Honored is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to keeping great teachers in the classroom and inspiring a new generation of talent to pursue teaching. Each month of the school year, Honored shines a spotlight on a teacher who has changed the life of a single student. The Honoree receives a $5,000 cash award, and Honored shares their story on their podcast and social media. Honorees are selected from Pre-K-12 teachers of all subjects at public, private, and charter schools across the country.

For more information about Honored, visit honored.org. To nominate a teacher, visit honored.org/nominate.  For regular updates on Honored and our monthly Honorees, follow and like us on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can also listen to our podcast at https://honored.podbean.com/.

Honored Press Contact

Hannah Bowyer-Rivette

[email protected]

‪540-315-7052‬