For more than two decades, Dr. Ashley Tidey has shaped the intellectual lives of Laguna Blanca students through her passion for teaching, dedication, and belief in the power of the humanities. This week at the Upper School Award Ceremony, Laguna Blanca honored her outstanding contributions by naming her the recipient of the Faculty Excellence Award, one of the school's highest honors.

Established in 1988, the Faculty Excellence Award recognizes excellence in teaching and dedication to Laguna Blanca School and its students. Through the generosity of Laguna alumni parents Steven and Marilyn Gutsche, the award includes both a cash stipend and an educational stipend to support professional growth. For Dr. Tidey, this recognition is especially meaningful as it marks the second time she has received the award.

A member of the Laguna Blanca faculty since 2004, Dr. Tidey earned her B.A. in English from Williams College and her Ph.D. in English from Indiana University. Before joining Laguna, she taught in the Writing Program at UC Santa Barbara and at Indiana University. Her connection to Laguna extends beyond the classroom as the parent of two Laguna Blanca graduates, Aura Carlson '18 and Frances Carlson '22. 

As an English teacher, Dr. Tidey is known for challenging students to think deeply, write thoughtfully, and engage critically with the world around them. Former students frequently credit her courses with preparing them for success in college and beyond. 

Her commitment to intellectual growth is reflected in the Humanities Research Program (HRP), which she launched in 2021. The two-year program allows students to explore a broad range of ideas across disciplines before developing and completing a capstone research project. The capstones become a bridge between classroom study and the world beyond it, where literature, history, and contemporary issues are no longer separate disciplines but overlapping ways of making sense of what it means to be human. The experience culminates in a public presentation that showcases each student's growth, curiosity, and voice as a scholar. 

Dr. Tidey has also championed experiential learning throughout her Laguna career, leading educational trips to cities such as New Orleans, Chicago, London, Paris, Los Angeles, and New York, and creating interdisciplinary learning opportunities with colleagues across departments.

Beyond academics, she has helped students become thoughtful and engaged citizens. Since 2014, she has advised the SOCK (Supporting Our Community with Kindness) Club, leading outreach efforts that encourage compassionate engagement with Santa Barbara's unhoused community through volunteer work, partnerships, and participation in the county's Point-in-Time Count.

What distinguishes Dr. Tidey most is the depth of her relationships with students. She is known for detailed feedback, thoughtful mentorship, and a willingness to invest significant time helping students reach their potential. "She doesn’t know how to phone it in or make it easy on herself – she cares too passionately about the students and about the learning to do anything but her best each and every day," shares a colleague. Her support often continues long after graduation.

Her influence has been recognized nationally. In 2017, Laguna alumna and Rhodes Scholar Cameron M. Platt '12 selected Dr. Tidey as her Rhodes Inspirational Educator. Platt wrote, "What best explains her magic is that Dr. Tidey teaches with immeasurable love; love for her craft, her material and, above all, her students."

Presenting the award, Head of School Ron Cino reflected on the qualities that have made Dr. Tidey such a valued member of the Laguna Blanca community: "When their love for their students and their school is centered on the student experience and evolving their practice to meet the needs and interests of the students and when their focus is the success and long-term health of the institution, you end up with a great school like Laguna Blanca filled with loyal and amazing people, including if not especially, teachers like Dr. Ashley Tidey."

Through her scholarship, creativity, compassion, and commitment to students, Dr. Tidey has helped define the culture and character of Laguna Blanca School for more than twenty years. The Faculty Excellence Award recognizes both her accomplishments and the lasting impact she continues to have on generations of Laguna students.

Congratulations, Dr. Tidey, on this well-deserved honor!