Fostering culture & belonging: Reflections from Teacher of the Year finalists
New York City, NEW YORK — From America Samoa, Colorado, DC, to Pennsylvania, four teachers open doors for students to address taboo topics, feel pride in hometowns. And like most teachers

!["The goal isn’t just to teach them English; it’s to help them appreciate and express themselves in a way that feels true to who they are,” Saelua wrote in her finalist application. [courtesy photo] Mikaela Saelua and students](https://samoanews.com/sites/default/files/styles/teaser/public/field/image/mikaela-saelua-and-students.jpg?itok=CI3wY0wy)








