Gila Ridge teacher Greg Brown named Yuma County’s 2026 top educator

Greg Brown’s influence at Gila Ridge High School is visible in places families know well: science and AVID classrooms, the tennis courts and the swim pool. The Yuma Union High School District named him Yuma County’s 2026 High School Teacher of the Year, recognizing a 14-year run that has made him one of the campus’s most recognizable educators.

Brown earned the honor at the 39th annual Teacher of the Year Banquet on April 30 at 5 p.m. at the Yuma Civic and Convention Center, where more than 700 people gathered to celebrate teaching across the county. Brown was one of three countywide high school finalists, alongside Eric Frost and Mark Van Voorst. For Gila Ridge, the win carried added weight because Brown became the first teacher from the campus to claim the award since 2018.

The recognition fits the way Brown works at Gila Ridge. He teaches science and AVID, while also coaching tennis and swim, roles that extend his impact beyond the regular school day. Principal Kathy Hoover said Brown builds capacity in students, colleagues and the school systems that support learning and postsecondary readiness. Hoover also said Brown insists every Hawk gets the opportunity and support to chase their dream.

That broader footprint matters in a school culture like Gila Ridge’s, where athletics is tied to student development as much as competition. The school opened in 2007 and says its programs encourage students to get involved, develop talents, gain confidence and learn lifelong skills. Brown’s record on the coaching side helps explain why his name is familiar to so many Yuma families. The athletics staff page lists him as the swim coach for 10 years and the tennis coach for 9 years, and KYMA reported in 2023 that he was named Desert Southwest Section Coach of the Year in tennis after a Gila Ridge swim season that produced four school records.

The award also points to a bigger issue for Yuma schools: keeping teachers who can anchor classrooms, mentor students and carry the load in extracurriculars year after year. The Education Foundation of Yuma County, a private nonprofit made up of volunteers from business and education, says its mission is to recognize teaching excellence and support creative initiatives for students and teachers. Its 2025-26 mini-grant cycle provided more than $12,000 to 14 educators, a reminder that high-performing teachers need steady backing if districts want to keep them in Yuma County.