The Regional Teacher of the Year winners for elementary and secondary education have been chosen. One honoree didn’t always know he wanted to become a teacher.
Before he became an educator, Ray High School chemistry teacher Pedro Benavidez applied to medical school and decided against it, spent time as an infectious disease researcher and then switched to construction. Along the way, he realized he enjoyed training others.
“I took a leap,” Benavidez said, explaining how he found an alternative certification program and became a teacher.
Benavidez and London Elementary School’s Lauren Jardine were honored as the secondary and elementary Teachers of the Year for the Coastal Bend region on June 27.
The Education Service Center Region 2, which covers the Coastal Bend region, chose the two regional winners from nominations submitted by local school districts. Benavidez and Jardine are eligible to be considered for Texas Teacher of the Year, competing against regional nominees from across the state.
Jardine is a “dedicated early childhood educator,” ESC 2 Executive Director Esperanza Zendejas said. Jardine teaches pre-K in the London Independent School District. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Arizona State University.
In London ISD, Jardine focuses on providing a safe, equitable classroom fostering curiosity, independence and strong relationships, Zendejas said.
Benavidez said that he wants students to explore and not to be afraid of failure.
“I enjoy when my students are fascinated by science,” Benavidez said. “But really I want them to just simply be curious about something — anything.”
He hopes his students remain curious throughout their lives.
“Public education in the U.S. is such a valuable gift that many people don’t understand or appreciate,” Benavidez said. “It’s the embodiment of the American dream. We take everybody.”
The
Regional Superintendent of the Year
is Eddie Hesseltine, from Orange Grove Independent School District.
The Regional School Board of the Year is the Port Aransas Independent School District Board of Trustees.
Next year, the Education Service Center Region 2 plans to name a charter school teacher of the year as well, Zendejas said.
See which teachers were nominated by Coastal Bend school districts:
Alice Independent School District:
Dubose Elementary School fifth grade English language arts teacher Samantha Neely and William Adams Middle School eighth science teacher Berta Wymore.
Aransas Pass
Independent School District
:
A.C. Blunt Middle School sixth grade science teacher Yolanda Cribb and Charlie Marshall Elementary School fifth grade teacher Amanda Sides.
Beeville Independent School District
: R.A. Hall Elementary School teacher Aliza Carabajal and Moreno Junior High School eighth grade reading language arts teacher Mandy Vasquez.
Corpus Christi Independent School District:
Creekside Elementary School fourth grade math teacher Amalia Barragan and Ray High School science teacher Pedro Benavidez.
Flour Bluff Independent School District:
Flour Bluff Elementary School teacher Nicole Biggerstaff and Flour Bluff Junior High School seventh grade science teacher Amanda Zartuche.
George West Independent School District:
George West Elementary School fifth grade social studies teacher Ellie Jimerson and George West High School math teacher Bridget Emerson.
Gregory-Portland Independent School District:
Stephen F. Austin Elementary School first grade teacher Olivia Banda and Gregory-Portland Middle School seventh grade English teacher Kristie Hayward.
Ingleside
Independent School District
:
Ingleside Primary School first grade bilingual teacher Patricia Oliver and Ingleside High School physiology and environmental systems teacher Jeffery Groseclose.
Kingsville
Independent School District
: Harrel Elementary School first grade teacher Yesenia Rubalcaba and H.M. King High School biology and physics teacher Marisa Hamilton.
London
Independent School District
:
London Elementary School pre-K teacher Lauren Jardine and London High School agricultural science teacher Amy Lewallen.
Mathis
Independent School District
:
Mathis Intermediate School fourth grade teacher Diana Sanchez and Mathis High School career and technical education teacher Daniel Gonzales.
Odem-Edroy
Independent School District
:
Odem-Edroy Elementary School teacher Rita Jasso.
Orange Grove
Independent School District
:
Orange Grove Elementary School fourth grade math teacher Monica Davidson and Orange Grove High School adaptive education teacher and coach Jordan Salas.
Riviera
Independent School District
:
De La Paz Middle School seventh and eighth grade English teacher Lazara Perez.
Robstown
Independent School District
:
Seale Junior High School theater teacher Apolonio Paredez Jr.
Rockport-Fulton
Independent School District
:
Live Oak Learning Center pre-K teacher Leslie Glenn and Rockport-Fulton High School math teacher Warren Mitchell.
San Diego
Independent School District
:
Collins Parr Elementary School second grade reading teacher Sylvia Cardenas.
Santa Gertrudis
Independent School District
:
Gertrudis Elementary/Junior High School fifth grade reading and social studies teacher Diana Oliveira.
Skidmore-Tynan
Independent School District
:
Skidmore-Tynan Elementary School special education teacher Laurinda Mann and Skidmore-Tynan Junior High School special education teacher Amy Smith-Jehling.
Tuloso-Midway
Independent School District
:
Tuloso-Midway Primary School second grade dual language teacher Emelda Gamboa and Tuloso-Midway High School geometry teacher Esmeralda Romero.
West Oso
Independent School District
:
West Oso Elementary School second grade teacher Samantha Ybanez and West Oso High School math teacher Andre Mack.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times:
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