Clovis teacher Erin Andrade wins national Crystal Apple Award

Erin Andrade’s national recognition turns a Clovis classroom into a countywide benchmark. The Center for Advanced Research and Technology High School teacher was named one of five winners of School Specialty’s 12th Annual Crystal Apple Awards, rising out of more than 200 nominations from across the country.

The April 21 announcement put Andrade, who teaches forensic research and biotechnology at CART in Clovis, in an unusually small national field. The award is designed to honor teachers for leadership, creativity and dedication to student success, and this year’s winners were announced just ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week, which runs May 4-8. Winners receive a personalized trophy, a $500 classroom supply certificate and an additional $250 for school resources. Finalists also get a $100 merchandise certificate for personal use and a matching $100 certificate for their schools.

For Fresno County, the bigger story is not just the trophy. It is what Andrade’s win says about CART’s model and whether more schools in the region can replicate it. CART has built its reputation around rigorous, career-focused learning that connects classroom work to real-world applications, and Andrade’s specialty fits that mission closely. For students interested in science, investigation and biotechnology, her classes offer a pathway that is both technical and practical.

Andrade’s own background helps explain why she stood out. CART says she has taught there since 2005. She graduated from California State University, Chico with a major in anthropology, a minor in chemistry and a forensic certificate. Before entering the classroom, she worked in the Human Identification Lab and completed an internship at the Alameda County Crime Lab. That mix of scientific training and applied lab experience gives her instruction a direct link to careers students can actually pursue.

The recognition also reflects the kind of teaching Fresno County often says it wants more of: instruction tied to student outcomes, not just classroom routine. At CART, that means teachers are expected to combine content knowledge with innovation and hands-on learning. Andrade’s national award suggests that formula is getting noticed well beyond Clovis Unified.

In a school landscape often dominated by cuts, conflict and accountability debates, Andrade’s win offers a measurable counterpoint. One Clovis teacher, one specialized public high school and one national award now raise a simple question for the rest of Fresno County: if CART can produce this kind of recognition, what would it take to build more programs like it?