Horace Mann's Ellen Kwon Recognized at County Teacher Celebration

Ellen Kwon, a fourth-grade teacher at Horace Mann Elementary School whose Beverly Hills Unified career spans 21 years, was recognized at the Los Angeles County Office of Education's annual Teachers of the Year celebration on September 25.

The recognition follows her selection earlier this year as a 2026 BHUSD Apple Award recipient and highlights a career that has included classroom teaching, student activities, athletics and academic support.

Kwon joined the district in 2005 as a seventh-grade English language arts teacher at Hawthorne School. Since then, she has taught at Hawthorne, El Rodeo, Beverly Vista and Horace Mann, according to BHUSD's September 29 announcement.

Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss, who said he hired Kwon at Hawthorne, attended the celebration with her family and colleagues.

"Twenty-one years ago, I had the privilege of hiring Ellen at Hawthorne School, and I still remember the energy, intelligence, and enthusiasm she brought to our team," Cherniss said.

Her assignments beyond the classroom have ranged from student leadership to science competitions and sports. Kwon has served as El Rodeo's student council lead advisor, a lead Science Olympiad coach and a middle school volleyball coach at Beverly Vista.

At Horace Mann, she serves as yearbook advisor and provides high-impact tutoring to help students reach grade-level expectations. She also sits on the district's Literacy Committee, contributing to its work on student learning.

Those roles reflect the breadth of her service across the district: teaching academic subjects, supporting students who need additional instruction and leading activities outside their regular classes.

"Joining her family and colleagues to celebrate this recognition was a powerful reminder of why this work is so meaningful," Cherniss said. "Ellen represents the dedication and care that define educational excellence in Beverly Hills Unified. We are proud of her service to generations of students and delighted to see her celebrated on a regional stage."

LACOE supports public school districts throughout Los Angeles County. BHUSD described its Teachers of the Year program as California's largest of its kind and said the annual celebration, now in its 45th year, is part of a statewide and national tradition recognizing excellence in public education.

For Kwon, the county event adds regional recognition to the district's earlier Apple Award, acknowledging work that has reached students at four Beverly Hills school campuses over more than two decades.