April Raguindin is a 2026-2027 Teach Plus California Emergent Bilingual Change Agent, 1st grade teacher leader, and new teacher mentor at Douglas K. Fletcher Elementary in Bakersfield, California. She teaches primary literacy, English Language Development (ELD), and farm-to-table practices. April serves on her school’s leadership team, mentors teachers through the Kern Urban Teacher Residency, and founded her school’s garden and kitchen program. She was selected for the state cohort of National Teachers of the Year (2026). She earned a BA in liberal studies from California State University, Northridge; MEd from the University of California, Los Angeles; and Reading and Literacy Authorization from Point Loma Nazarene University.
