More News

Ortiz’s family was in the audience when he received the honor Thursday night at the Champions for Children gala.

‘‘It was a very exciting night,” he said.

Since Friday, his phone has not stopped ringing with congratulations from friends, people in the community and members of his church who heard the news on TV.

Ortiz was nominated for the award by Steven Boden, executive vice president of the Montgomery County Student Automotive Trades Foundation.

Boden suggested Ortiz get his teaching certification after watching him mentor two of his students.

After a year at Thomas Edison High School of Technology in Wheaton, Ortiz, 44, of Mount Airy has taught automotive technology at Damascus High since 2002. He guided the school through the rigorous certification processes for the National Automotive Technician’s Education Foundation and the Automotive Youth Educational System — the highest level of credentials for an automotive technology program.

‘‘He brought [the Damascus] program to a new level,” Boden said. ‘‘He’s just absolutely a committed person, he really cares. It’s just a privilege working with him.”

Ortiz teaches more than automotive technology skills. He also serves as a role model for what his students can achieve, his students say.

Ortiz, who split his school years between Puerto Rico and Maryland, said he was not a good student, and that helps him understand his students.

‘‘I can relate to these guys because a lot of them have problems reading and writing,” he said. ‘‘They’re not scholastic students, but are still very bright.”

Ortiz emphasizes writing, reading, verbal communication, information technology and math skills as he works with students in the shop.

He also adds life lessons to the course curriculum, said Justin Reppard of Damascus, a 16-year-old sophomore.

‘‘He’s a great role model and he’ll do whatever he can to help students,” he said. ‘‘He doesn’t mind helping a student, no matter how big or small.”

Ortiz helps students find internships and graduates find careers. He stays in touch with his former students.

‘‘He does an awful lot for kids,” Damascus High School Principal Robert Domergue said. ‘‘He’s about building confidence and relationships with kids. Students know he cares about them.”

As county Teacher of the Year, Ortiz gets use of a car from Fitzgerald Auto Mall for one year, a laptop computer and printer for the classroom, and $1,000 for himself and $1,000 for his classroom, among other prizes.

He will compete with teachers from other counties for the title of Maryland Teacher of the Year. That winner will advance to the national competition.

The Teacher of the Year was selected from among three veteran winners of the Marian Greenblatt Excellence in Teaching Awards. The other two award winners are Philip D’Agnese of Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School in Germantown and Noreen Gale of Oakland Terrace Elementary School in Kensington.