EDUCATION + SCHOOLS

Sunya Osborn – Landmark High School

Feb 21, 2012, 1:36 PM | Updated: Aug 4, 2022, 12:01 pm

Mrs. Sunya Osborn is in my opinion the best teacher in Utah, and yes I am her son. My mother graduated from the University of Utah with her bachelor’s degree, but did not put that to work for many years. Through those years she kept her teaching license current and only began teaching once I, her youngest child, was in school so that she could fulfill her role as a mom. She began teaching English at Payson Junior High School. Here she was very involved in the school and the lives of the students. She assisted several student organizations, including being the yearbook advisor and organizing the trip to the 2002 Olympics for the students. She has always been dedicated to helping students and willing to spend time with those who need extra help. I observed this on many occasions as I spent afternoons or my days off of school in her classroom. I also know of the impact she had on their lives because of the many comments I have received about my mother from her former students. I played basketball against many former students and sat in the same college classroom with many more. Each always had positive things to say about her and many remembered a specific defining moment in their life because of my mother. I have also been able to know many of her colleagues through Scouting and my own academic pursuits, and they too have expressed the utmost respect and admiration for my mom.

After teaching for many years at Payson Junior, my mother took a job at the school district as a literacy specialist. She has helped to implement several literacy improvement strategies for the Nebo School district. She has also been an advocate for literacy across the curriculum and has helped to train educators in a variety of fields how to teach literacy in their respective subjects. She also assists in training new teachers, several of whom are my peers and friends from college. I have received amazing feedback from these teachers about what a great job my mother does in this process and about what a great teacher she is. But amid the administrative roles she holds, my mom voluntarily took the responsibility of teaching English to the students at the alternative high school in the district. She has described what a difficult environment it is to teach in, but is dedicated to helping these students gain a quality education. More than helping them learn, I have witnessed her sincere desire for these students to succeed in life and her efforts to help them achieve their goals.

Outside of the classroom, my mother has also been a dedicated teacher: she has spent time tutoring individuals with reading impairments; she volunteers her time to teach the youth in church and other settings; and was an amazing teacher in our home. I now live in Texas where I am attending medical school, and my mother is still willing to help me with my literacy skills. I am 100% positive that I would not be where I am now academically (or otherwise) without the amazing teaching of my mother; and I am confident that there are many of her other students who would express the same sentiment. Because of Mrs. Sunya Osborn’s dedication to teaching, and her impressive efforts in so doing, I feel she deserves to be recognized as one of Utah’s most outstanding teachers!

–Michael Osborn

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Education + Schools

A n3-year degree may be an option...

Amie Schaeffer

Utah students could soon earn bachelor’s degrees in 3 years

College students may be able to graduate with a bachelors degree in three years in some industries.

15 hours ago

The Powder Baby Dry Shampoo team poses with its check after winning the 2024 Utah Entrepreneur Chal...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.COM

BYU student startup wins $30K at Utah Entrepreneur Challenge

BYU entrepreneur Kylee Black, who founded Powder Baby, said the cash prize will be instrumental in advancing her business.

17 hours ago

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

1 day ago

FILE: Cedar High School in Cedar City is pictured on Wednesday April 7, 2021....

Tammy Kikuchi and Emma Keddington

Cedar High School grapples with mascot name, five years after it was changed

The Iron School District Board of Education is grappling with changing the Cedar High School mascot back from "Reds" to "Redmen." 

1 day ago

A green and brown sign hangs on a brick wall. It reads "The future of the world is in this classroo...

Mariah Maynes

Study looks into Utah voters’ opinions on curriculum transparency in schools

A Sutherland Institute study found that a majority of Utah voters support curriculum transparency. However, fewer of them support mandating it with legislation. 

1 day ago

Utah Utes players circle up before the women’s college basketball game against Weber State Univer...

Aimee Cobabe and Emma Keddington

FBI now involved in Utah Women’s Basketball racism investigation

Police in Idaho are working with the FBI to investigate an incident where racial slurs were yelled at the Utah Women's basketball team.

2 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Sunya Osborn – Landmark High School