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Tracy Vanderhulst, a former high school “teacher of the year” has been arrested in California for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old boy and authorities said they “believe there may be additional victims.”
According to a Facebook post, Vanderhulst, 38, joined the staff at Yucaipa High School in 2013.
The now former math teacher at Yucaipa High School, was arrested late Thursday night for unlawful sexual intercourse involving a minor and held on $30,000 bail, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. It was not immediately clear if the minor was a student at the high school.
Tracy Vanderhulst was named “Teacher of the Year” at Yucaipa H.S. in 2017
A tweet announcing the award has since been deleted, however a school YouTube video featuring Vanderhulst titled, “In The Classroom,” was still online as of Friday evening.
In another tweet since deleted, the school said that Vanderhulst “offers up a rigorous mathematics curriculum and deep caring for her students,” CBS Los Angeles reported.
According to a citation quoted by the News Mirror, Vanderhulst “epitomizes the educator so many desire to be — she is the kind and innovative teacher from whom we hope our children will grow; the educator who strives to engage all of her students from her intervention classes to her honors classes.”
According to KTLA, as they continue to investigate the incident, detectives released Vanderhulst’s booking photo as they work to determine if there are additional victims.
Investigators and the Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District “worked cooperatively to ensure a thorough investigation into this matter was completed,” the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone with tips are urged to contact Detective Rachel Young of the Specialized Investigations Division, Crimes Against Children Detail at (909) 890-4904.