As students return back to school, Teachers of Tomorrow reveals their Teacher of the Year finalists, with one finalist receiving a $5,000 cash prize. The goal of the Teachers of Tomorrow’s Teacher of the Year Award is to help prepare educators for the upcoming school year as they embark on their teaching careers.
Field supervisors and principals across the nation in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas nominated talented, first-year educators to become Teachers of Tomorrow’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. Texas teachers shined this year with all five finalists coming from the Greater Dallas, Houston and San Antonio areas.
“We are so proud of the aspiring teachers who chose Teachers of Tomorrow to help them transition to teaching in a classroom,” said Trent Beekman, CEO of Teachers of Tomorrow. “These teachers are choosing a career that’s worth it, and Teachers of Tomorrow wants to give the opportunity for teachers to be recognized for the great work they have done during their internship year.”
The decision for the 2022 Texas Teachers of the Year is now in the hands of the community. The Texas and local Houston community can vote on the teacher that deserves the coveted title. To read the finalists biographers and to vote, click here. The deadline to vote is Monday, August 1, 2022,and the winner will be announced in early August.
Houston Teacher of the Year Nominees Quotes:
- Shanekia Hall, Kindergarten Teacher at Ponderosa Elementary School in Spring ISD
- “Building relationships with parents and students from the very first day of school has been one of my favorite parts about being a teacher,” said Shanekia Hall, Kindergarten Teacher at Ponderosa Elementary School in Spring ISD. “I believe it takes a strong village to navigate this teaching world; hence, a clear line of communication between parents and teachers sets the tone for student engagement, academic improvement, and social and behavioral development.”
- Gloria Barreiro, 12th Grade Teacher at Cleveland High School in Cleveland ISD
- “I love taking my students on college tours because for some of them it is their first time ever stepping on a college campus. Some have never had the experience of leaving their hometown,” said Gloria Barreiro, 12th Grade Teacher at Cleveland High School in Cleveland ISD. “Throughout my class we discuss different post-secondary options, helping my students make their goals a reality is an amazing feeling. However, the best feeling by far is when my students learn they are awarded a grant or scholarship.”
Full list of Finalists:
- Chelsea Lyons, 2nd Grade Teacher at Galloway Elementary in Mesquite ISD
- Laura Cisneros, 6th – 8th Grade Teacher at Terrell Wells Middle School in Harlandale ISD
- Laura Cottle, 3rd Grade Teacher at Claybon Elementary School in Forney ISD
- Gloria Barreiro, 12th Grade Teacher at Cleveland High School in Cleveland ISD
- Shanekia Hall, Kindergarten Teacher at Ponderosa Elementary School in Spring ISD
About Teachers of Tomorrow
Teachers of Tomorrow has been the nation’s most comprehensive provider of teacher services since 2005. Committed to helping educators excel in the classroom and beyond, Teachers of
Tomorrow provides holistic support across the entire lifecycle of the teacher. To provide teachers with requisite skills to successfully enter – and stay – in the teaching profession, Teachers of Tomorrow provides accredited pre-certification training, research-based test preparation, and ongoing professional development. For more information, visit teachersoftomorrow.org/