Joseph Arechiga of Verdugo Hills High School was among 17 first-year District teachers honored by California Credit Union, in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), through its 9^th annual Rookie of the Year program.

California Credit Union created the Rookie of the Year program in the 2014-15 school year to recognize exceptional new LAUSD teachers within the greater Los Angeles community.

The winning teachers were selected based on a number of factors, including effectiveness in preparing and delivering instruction, providing a positive classroom climate with strong routines and procedures, adopting a dynamic and engaging teaching style and showing high levels of professionalism.