Teachers honored for their work in the classroom

-- Deirdre Newman

Two teachers in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District have been

honored for excellence in their fields.

Jantina Perry, music teacher at Eastbluff and Newport Coast elementary

schools in Newport Beach, has been selected by the Orange County Music

and Arts Administrators and the Orange County Opera as Arts Educator of

the Year for elementary vocal music.

Debra Muniz from Kaiser Elementary School in Costa Mesa was one of

four county teachers to be recognized for improving human relations at

their schools by the Orange County Human Relations Department.

Kaiser School also won the People’s Choice Award for its display about

human relations activities on its campus during the 2002 Building Bridges

Award Celebration on Tuesday.