S Six outstanding educators from across Texas were named as finalists in the 2018 Texas Teacher of the Year program, the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) announced recently.
Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year
finalists are:
Amy Hooten, Thomas Justiss
Elementary School, Paris ISD. “It is
important for teachers to first build relationships with their students and families,” says
Hooten, a second-grade English language
arts teacher who has taught at Justiss
Elementary for her entire 23-year career.
“Only then can we provide the experiences,
vocabulary enrichment, language, and
academic skills students need to rise up and
successfully participate with other types of
society members while still valuing their
own. It is essential that students be taught
how to make goals, make plans to achieve
their goals, and broaden their world outside
their immediate vicinity and situation.”
Andrea Lucas, Lamar Elementary
School, San Antonio ISD. “When a
school builds a culture of learning amongst
the staff, teachers are more likely to open
their doors, take risks, and see themselves
as reflective practitioners,” says Lucas, who
teaches fourth grade and is beginning her
14th year in the classroom. “I am lucky
to be at such a school. We have worked
to grow a shared vision and continuously
learn together. We examine our teaching
practices to find what works best for our
students. Our morale is high, and we feel
we have a voice in our campus decisions.
We learn and grow together.”
Marissa Torres, Blue Haze Elementary School, White Settlement ISD.
“One of my goals as a teacher has always
been to create lifelong learners who will
contribute positively to their community,”
says Torres, a 10-year educator who teach-
es third grade at Blue Haze Elementary. “I
Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
finalists are:
Tara Bordeaux, Lanier High School,
Austin ISD. “I know firsthand how hard
life can be on a young heart, and I know
how easy it is to give up. I know, because
I did, and I dropped out of high school,”
says Bordeaux, who has taught media arts
at Lanier High since 2013. “My hope is
that as a teacher, I can inspire my students
to persevere and succeed in ways I never
could. I believe that every student deserves
the opportunity to learn from teachers who
truly care about the impact they are making
in a child’s life. I chose to become a teacher
because I wanted to give students the
chance to chase their dreams and learn how
to believe in themselves even if the world
gives them reasons to stop believing.”
Andrea Garza, United South High
School, United ISD. “I believe in the
power of education and the potential of
every student,” says Garza, who teaches
world history and serves as the social stud-
ies department chair at United South High.
“Like many educators, I want to motivate.
I want to impact and reach students in
a way that encourages a lifelong love for
learning. I want my students to appreciate
the complexity of the human experience
to develop a global perspective, to view
difference with empathy and compassion,
and to intrinsically strive for more knowl-
edge. These skills are fundamental to be-
coming civic leaders and competent civic
actors. These skills are necessary to change
the world.” Garza has taught since 2006.
Gary Strickland, Coleman High
School, Coleman ISD. “Our role as edu-
Six Educators Named Finalists for 2018 Texas Teacher of the Year
Celebrating Classroom Excellence
