It’s usually classroom teachers who receive nominations for Oregon’s Teacher of the Year. But not all teachers lead classrooms. 

So it came as a surprise to Carissa Martos when she was named one of the 2024 Regional Teachers of the Year on Monday. 

Carissa Martos, a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, stands with her student, Jemma Bosotina, a fifth grader at Tom McCall Upper Elementary in Forest Grove, after winning Regional Teacher of the Year on Monday, Sept. 18. Carissa represents the Northwest Regional ESD region, which includes educators from Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. Photos by Tracey Goldner. 

“What is going on?,” she asked quizzically as one of her students came into the room and presented her with an oversized check. As the initial surprise dissipated, she beamed. She later shared that you have to go back decades to find another teacher like her. 1983 is when Jean Hoem, a teacher of the Blind, took home the statewide recognition. But you won’t find a teacher exactly like her because, as far as she can tell, a teacher of the Deaf has never won the statewide award. 

Carissa says she’s excited to be one step closer to bringing that representation and recognition of her field into the limelight. 

Oregon has about 1,500 students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and another 70 who are DeafBlind. Carissa is among the approximately 100 teachers of the Deaf who work with these students from across the state. 

Carissa poses for a photo with her family after winning Regional Teacher of the Year on Monday, Sept. 18. Representatives from the Oregon Lottery, which funds the recognition program, presented her with an oversized check for $1,000. Photo by Tracey Goldner. 

Although she works with students in four school districts in rural and suburban Washington County, the essence of her work doesn’t differ much from that of a typical classroom teacher. She supports her students as they tackle new challenges and makes sure they are set up to succeed. 

But one area that really sets her apart is her focus on self-advocacy. Being Deaf or Hard of Hearing comes with unique challenges, so she doesn’t shy away from helping her students face them with grace and preparation. 

“She has taught my daughter how to lead, teach and train every type of person around her about her disability,” says Lisa Bosotina, the mother of a 10-year-old who has worked with Carissa since she was a preschooler. “The self-respect she emphasizes within her students is remarkable,” Lisa says. 

Jemma Bosotina (far right) and Carissa Martos (third from right) help students act out how sound moves through the ear to the brain. Photo courtesy of Lisa Bosotina. 

Lisa says over the years her daughter Jemma, who is partially Deaf, has really blossomed from a shy child into a strong self-advocate who couldn’t wait to travel to Salem to talk with legislators about the importance of providing adequate funding for teachers like Carissa. 

Every year, Jemma teaches her classmates how hearing aids work. She covers hearing loss, technology, Deaf history and American Sign Language. She then leads a demonstration of the ear and gives her classmates the opportunity to construct their own ears complete with labels for every part. Carissa says this is Jemma’s favorite part of the year and has really helped her “face her feelings of awkwardness about needing to use hearing aids and a microphone.” 

Carissa Martos (blue dress) poses with from left, Les Lukacs, Oregon Lottery program manager, Jemma Bosotina, a fifth grader at Tom McCall Upper Elementary School in Forest Grove, and NWRESD Superintendent Dan Goldman after winning the 2024 Regional Teacher of the Year. In addition to making sure students have access to the technology they need, Carissa helps her students navigate any hearing-related challenges they face. Photo by Tracey Goldner.  

Deaf and Hard of Hearing coordinator Laurie Harrison says Carissa is a rising star in her field. 

“I see Carissa continuing to contribute significantly to the field of Deaf education by the relationships she establishes with her students, their parents, case managers and colleagues,” Laurie says. 

Her approach is to meet the students where they are. When one student balked at needing to prepare for a possible traffic stop, she walked him through what that would look like since he wouldn’t be able to hear the officer through the window. He realized that motioning with his hands or reaching for something could be risky. 

After that, they worked together on visiting the sheriff’s office in his local community so that he’d be able to navigate that scenario safely. 

She taught another student about the type of hearing-related accommodations she could ask for as a college student. She also helped her book her first doctor’s appointment using the video relay service. Carissa reported that when this student graduated from high school and headed off to college, she felt she could independently start this new phase “just like any other freshman.”