Pedro Beltran, a CSUSB Palm Desert Campus alumnus who received a master’s degree in special education and a mild to moderate disabilities special education teaching credential in 2019, has been named Teacher of the Year at James Earl Carter Elementary School in Palm Desert.

Beltran, who is a kindergarten-third grade mild to moderate special education teacher, said that he was nominated and selected for this award by his colleagues, and this recognition “is a huge honor, humbling and meaningful in so many ways.”

Beltran’s parents were not born in the United States and did not have the means or opportunities to complete their primary education. He says that throughout his life, they instilled in him the value and importance of achieving a higher education.

He praised the PDC faculty for their dedication and work with students.

“The Palm Desert Campus has a lot to offer,” Beltran said. “As a full-time employee, a full-time student and a full-time parent, having access to my educational courses locally was a beneficial option. In addition, I was extremely surprised with the school morale at PDC. The instructors are some of the best. They hold students and their learning to a very high standard, and the students, my fellow classmates, are very dedicated and invested in their education.” 

The faculty, staff and students at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus commend Pedro’s hard work and know that he will continue to inspire students for years to come.