Cha Moua
Position: Biology/AP Environmental Science Teacher
School: Thomas Edison High School
School District: Fresno Unified School District
City, State: Fresno , CA
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Cha Moua was nominated by his friend, Mai Lor.
"It is with great pride and admiration that I nominate Mr. Moua for recognition as an outstanding educator. He exemplifies what it means to be both a passionate teacher and an inspiring mentor. He gave his thanks to two of his former professors who had paved a roadmap with guidance, and in return, he wants to do the same for others," said Lor.
A proud graduate of the very high school where he now teaches, Mr. Moua returned to the roots that shaped him. He currently teaches Biology and AP Environmental Science. His approach is to teach his students about their bodies and environment, explaining how they work. He brings energy, clarity, and relevance, engaging students of all backgrounds and abilities. He ensures that he illuminates relevant life skills topics in his teaching, such as having a personal finance day before the end of the school year.
Each year, Mr. Moua eagerly anticipates meeting a new group of students to connect, guide, and empower. He believes education is not just about content—it's about building confidence, character, and the lasting impact he can have on others. He wants to show them that he is just as human as his fellow students.
A feature in his classroom is the Residents of Tiger Town Wall. This wall is a space dedicated to his former students, with heartfelt letters he receives each year, proof of the lasting impression he has made on them. These messages, filled with gratitude and reflection, serve as a testament to his role as an educator and a life-changing influence.
"With dedication and an unwavering belief in the potential of young minds, Mr. Moua's ten years of service as an educator have not just been about teaching; they have been about transforming lives. His plan for the future is to teach Anthropology. His goal is to teach his students about the prehistory of people, culture, and evolution, providing them with knowledge of different facets of human existence. It is for these reasons and more that I wholeheartedly nominate him for this honor," said Lor.
I got to have Mr. Moua as my junior year AP Enviro teacher, a class that I thought would be a breeze, but was more of a challenge than I had hoped. At times when applying myself felt pointless and I felt as though no amount of effort would be enough, he reassured me that he saw all of my efforts. This validation and belief in me was the motivation that kept me going. He was understanding of the struggles we all go through and made it so very apparent that he cared about all of it on top of our academics, a job that was not his, but the reason he was both a great teacher and mentor. Science was not and is still not my strongest subject, but any student can succeed in a class that is built to lift them up, and so I did; and when I felt as though I was running in circles, he took time to remind me that I was not, and to let me know that my hard work was truly seen, something all of us can say about him as well.
I had the honor and privilege of having Mr. Moua as my AP Environmental teacher during my junior year. If I could choose one word to describe Mr. Moua, it would be transformative. During my time in his classroom, I was able to see that he has a true passion for what he does. No matter the situation, content, or day of the week, Mr. Moua embodies patience, diligence, and a positive mindset. A large portion of Mr. Moua's teaching consists of hands-on learning which personally I loved because it helped me visually understand the content. All the creative labs and experiments he does are purposed for students to have a fun and interactive way to learn. Mr. Moua has always made sure his students have the best experience in his classroom as he consistently looks for new ways to give a topic an exciting twist. He's always made sure he gives all his students equal support and has been highly committed to making an inclusive environment for them whether it be through various partner activities or even having daily check-ins at the start of class with students, asking them to write down on a whiteboard how they are feeling. Truly, he is proactive, always striving to be better and learning from what doesn't work in order to provide a refined learning structure each new year for his students. From Mr. Moua, I will carry resilience, empathy and the ability to nurture curiosity for the rest of my career. I am beyond grateful that he has taken, and continues to take, the time to observe and appreciate special qualities about his students. I vividly remember the time he gave me and the rest of my classmates a personalized card speaking fondly of each and one of us. It is for all these outstanding reasons that I believe Mr. Moua is the best deserving candidate for the LifeChanger of the Year Award!
Mr. Moua has been my teacher for biology during freshman year and now he's my AP environmental science teacher for senior year, and in the two years that I've had him, I can 100% confidently say that he's always been the most supportive, funny, positive, determined, and understanding teacher ever! He's always dedicating his time and effort towards guiding his students to success and improvement, always compromising, encouraging, and uplifting his student's spirits/motivation. Every time I'm in his class, learning becomes easier and information actually sticks, he would always check in on his students whether it would be with their grades or just in general and even greets his students outside of his class which he is always bubbly about. His classroom always feels welcoming and safe no matter where he is stationed at, it's always just positive vibes the minute you first enter and a non-judgement zone for any and all students. His lessons are always inclusive, simple but detailed, and engaging which always makes learning easy to understand. Mr. Moua would always make sure his students feel confident and comfortable when it came to participating, even if a student would be stuck or not know the answer to a question, he would always make sure they don't feel excluded or embarrassed for it. He clarifies any and all questions, help those who aren't certain in a topic and even sets up step-by-step videos for certain problems, something that helps a whole lot. He's always looking for ways to improve and make learning easy for everyone by asking for feedback and taking it into consideration without judgement. I, wholeheartedly, believe he truly deserves to be a candidate for the Life Changer of the Year Award! He really is the best teacher I could've ever asked for and the most fun EVER!
During the trialing and unprecedented times of COVID-19, Mr. Moua was a light and leader for students. I was fortunate to be one of them, and I would translate for our English Learners. Whenever he could, he would constantly check in on all of us and ask if there was any support I needed in translating. He offered hours to help the students as well. If there is a teacher that teaches across linguistic and racial differences, he rises to the occasion. He is benevolent and welcoming, and his love has no bounds. Even with screens, Mr. Moua connected with his students through his humor and by getting to know us. He made his content easy to digest and appealing by making it intriguing and relevant.
I thank Mr. Moua for giving me the responsibility of being the class translator, for it allowed me to step into the role that allowed me to graduate with my B.A. in Spanish. He gave me confidence and space to hone my abilities, and whenever I doubted, he empowered me by saying that every small action makes a difference. He is what I aspire to be as a teacher. A calm educator that leads through the tempest with a destination and high expectations for his students. By believing in his students, he implements a positive vision within us that continues long after our academic time with him. It is an honor to have my mentor earn this award with his hard work and ambition to serve his Edison community.
I’ve had Mr. Moua during my freshman year for Biology and now as a senior for AP environmental science , and I can confidently say that he is a wonderful, kind, unintentionally funny and dedicated teacher! He cares deeply about his students and constantly provides us with opportunities to grow and improve academically. Everyday he encourages students to feel more comfortable and confident in speaking up and collaborating with others. This year I chose to be in his class once again instead of a different science related course because his lessons are always engaging, inclusive, and detailed, making learning both interactive and easy to understand. Although I was not very interested in environmental science at first, I don’t regret choosing his class and him as my teacher. Through his support and teaching I’ve changed my mindset, learned to embrace unfamiliar subjects and developed a genuine interest in finding ways to help our environment. I know that if I or any of my classmates ever need help understanding a lesson or catching up on missed assignments, Mr. Moua will always be there to support us. He truly makes a lasting impact on his students lives and is an amazing and deserving candidate for the Life Changer of the Year award!
This is the second time having Mr. Moua, I am currently enrolled in his AP Environmental Science class after having his Honors Biology class my Freshmen year. Mr. Moua is a teacher who genuinely cares about his students and the classroom environment. He asks how we’re feeling every day and actually listens. At the beginning of the year, his class spent a full week just getting to know each other, and that really helped set a positive and comfortable tone for learning. He’s also very honest with us, and you can tell what matters to him by what he chooses to display around the classroom.
His teaching style is very interactive and engaging, not just reading out of a textbook. We do a lot of games, discussions, and activities that connect directly to what we’re learning, which makes class more enjoyable and helps the information stick. He’s great at answering questions because he takes time to clarify what’s being asked, and he never makes anyone feel bad for being unsure. He’s always courteous, thanks students for their responses, and gives constructive feedback. If someone doesn’t know an answer, he helps by having them repeat or build off what a classmate said so they still feel included.
Mr. Moua is also very hands-on with certain topics and prefers learning by doing when possible. Instead of just reading about the environment, he gives us chances to see it in real life. At the end of our environmental unit, we went to Scout Island and were able to observe many of the things we had learned about actually happening in nature. He’s also fun to talk to about things not related to our classroom curriculum, which makes him easy to approach and shows that he truly cares about his students and their learning. If anybody ever asks, I always recommend Mr. Moua's class.
