Brian McDaniel, a Cal State San Bernardino graduate who was California’s nominee for the 2018 National Teacher of the Year, was named one of 50 finalists for the Global Teacher Prize, a $1 million award presented annually to an “exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to their profession” by the Varkey Foundation. McDaniel, the music teacher and director of bands and choirs at Painted Hills Middle School in Desert Hot Springs, earned his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from CSUSB in 2008.  In fall 2017, he was selected as one of the state’s five 2018 Teachers of the Year. On top of that, he was named by state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson as California’s nominee for 2018 National Teacher of the Year. Making the final list of 50 was competitive with more than 30,000 applications worldwide.