2025 Above & Beyond Honoree: Mandi de Witte

Описание: NOMINATOR: MIKA MULLIKIN
Carpinteria High School, Class of 2024

Mika Mullikin is a current undergraduate student studying biochemistry at UC Santa Barbara. Mika grew up in Carpinteria, CA, a small town south of Santa Barbara, and cherished the tight-knit community that she grew up with. Mika has found a passion volunteering where she feels that she can give back to the community, particularly in the fields of STEM education. Volunteering with students of various ages, Mika has also decided to work towards pursuing a STEM education minor in order to broaden her perspectives of the sciences. In her free time, Mika likes to stay active by running, dancing, and taking sunset walks on the beach.

HONOREE: MANDI DE WITTE
Science Teacher

Mandi de Witte is a science educator who brings passion, empathy, and a deep sense of purpose to the classroom, transforming science into a joyful, inclusive, and empowering experience for every student. Whether through hands-on experiments, real-world field trips, or meaningful mentorship, she inspires curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning. Her commitment to equity, relationship-building, and student growth—both in and out of the classroom—makes her a true force for positive change in education.

___________

Our Mission
We are a public charity dedicated to equitable educational opportunities for all students. Above & Beyond Teaching celebrates and supports outstanding and inspirational California public high school teachers, especially those working in underserved school communities.

Our Vision
Our vision for California public education is to ensure that:
All high school students receive a high-quality education.
All teachers have access to support, professional opportunities, and a learning community in order to succeed as outstanding educators.
Educational equity and excellence are prioritized by the public and in educational policy.

Our History
For more than twenty years, the Carlston Family Foundation operated as a private foundation with two main purposes: To identify, recognize, and reward the most outstanding public high school teachers in California; and to use the collective expertise of our cadre of past honorees to support and encourage the retention of the most promising novice teachers, and to add to their knowledge base as professionals.

As of January 2022, the Carlston Family Foundation has changed its status to a public charity and its name to Above & Beyond Teaching. The organization is now in need of public funding to both continue and expand its important work.
Above & Beyond is generously supported by the Sun Family Foundation, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, and a number of caring individuals.

https://abovebeyond.org/