Forty Texas educators are being recognized as the 'Best in Texas Education' with their selection as finalists in the 2011 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards.
The group noted the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are a Texas monetary recognition program for the state's educators.
The 40 Texas educators selected as finalists for a 2011 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award will now be invited to compete on a statewide level for greater recognition and cash prizes. A celebration weekend will be held in their honor May 13 -15, in Austin. The weekend will include a free health and fitness event for the public on May 14 featuring Health and Wellness Expert Jillian Michaels and a keynote address by General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) at the awards' celebratory dinner on May 15.
News of their selection as 2011 finalists was kept a secret from the educators until H-E-B visited each of their schools to surprise them. During the surprise visit, each finalist received two monetary cash awards in recognition of their finalist status, according to the group. Each teacher finalist received a $1,000 check for themselves and a second $1,000 for their school. Each principal finalist received a $1,000 check for themselves and a second $2,500 for their school.
The group said the 2011 finalists for an H-E-B Excellence in Education award, and representing the five Texas regions that H-E-B serves, are:
Central Texas Region
-Jennifer Garcia, a teacher at Hornsby Dunlap Elementary (Del Valle ISD) in Austin. Garcia is competing in the awards' Rising Star Elementary Category.
-Jason Sabotin, a teacher at Arlington Heights High School (Fort Worth ISD) in Forth Worth. Sabotin is competing in the awards' Rising Star Secondary Category.
-Michael Massad Sr, a teacher at Patton Elementary (Austin ISD) in Austin. Massad is competing in the awards' Leadership Elementary category.
-Melissa Cooper, a teacher at Murchison Middle School (Austin ISD) in Austin. Cooper is competing in the awards' Leadership Secondary category.
-Jayne Doxsey, a teacher at Reeces Creek Elementary (Killeen ISD) in Killeen. Doxsey is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Elementary category.
-Ella Whitley, a teacher at Midway Middle School (Midway ISD) in Hewitt. Whitley is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Secondary category.
-Ann Lilie, principal of Summitt Elementary (Austin ISD) in Austin. Lilie is competing in the awards' Principal Elementary category.
-Charles Pickett, principal of Richardson High School (Richardson ISD) in Richardson. Pickett is competing in the awards' Principal Secondary category.
Gulf Coast Region
-Christy Zamora, a teacher at Flour Bluff Early Childhood Center (Corpus Christi ISD) in Corpus Christi. Zamora is competing in the awards' Rising Star Elementary Category.
-Jennifer Welch, a teacher at Claude Cunningham Middle School (Corpus Christi ISD) in Corpus Christi. Welch is competing in the awards' Rising Star Secondary category.
-Martha McLeod, a teacher at Fulton 4-5 Grade Learning Center (Aransas County ISD) in Rockport, Texas. McLeod is competing in the awards' Leadership Elementary category.
-Judy Holmgreen, a teacher at Alice High School (Alice ISD) in Alice, Texas. Holmgreen is competing in the awards' Leadership Secondary category.
-Belinda Silva, a teacher at Moses Menger Elementary (Corpus Christi ISD) in Corpus Christi. Silva is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Elementary Category.
-Linda Colman, a teacher at Cuero High School (Cuero ISD), Cuero, Texas. Colman is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Secondary category.
-Galen Hoffstadt, principal of Luther Jones Elementary (Corpus Christi ISD) in Corpus Christi. Hoffstadt is competing in the awards' Principal Elementary category.
-Patricia Castillo, principal of Claude Cunningham Middle School (Corpus Christi ISD) in Corpus Christi. Castillo is competing in the awards' Principal Secondary category.
Houston Region
-Kimberly Buskirk, a teacher at Gardens Elementary (Pasadena ISD) in Pasadena, Texas. Buskirk is competing in the awards' Rising Star Elementary Category.
-Dr. Nghia Le, a teacher at Booker T. Washington High School (Houston ISD) in Houston. Dr. Nghia is competing in the awards' Rising Star Secondary category.
-Cindy Cormier, a teacher at Jan Schiff Elementary (Fort Bend ISD) in Missouri City, Texas. Cormier is competing in the awards' Leadership Elementary category.
-Carol Briggs, a teacher at Westfield High School (Spring ISD) in Houston. Briggs is competing in the awards' Leadership Secondary category.
-Richard Landmann, a teacher at Forest Ridge Elementary (College Station ISD) in College Station. Landmann is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Elementary category
-Carol Smithwick-Kiebach, a teacher at Seven Lakes High School (Katy ISD), Katy, Texas. Smithwick-Kiebach is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Secondary category.
-Erin Tite, principal of James F. Bay Elementary (Clear Creek ISD) in Seabrook, Texas. Tite is competing in the awards' Principal Elementary category.
-Dr. R. Scott Allen, principal of the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Houston ISD) in Houston. Dr. Allen is competing in the awards' Principal Secondary category.
San Antonio Region
-Lindsay Richard, a teacher at Wilderness Oak Elementary (North East ISD). Richard is competing in the awards' Rising Star Elementary Category.
-Penny McCool, a teacher at Robert E. Lee High School & STEM Academy (North East ISD). McCool is competing in the awards' Rising Star Secondary category.
-Jimmie Walker, a teacher at Cambridge Elementary (Alamo Heights ISD). Walker is competing in the awards' Leadership Elementary category.
-David Foss, a teacher at Alamo Heights High School (Alamo Heights ISD). Foss is competing in the awards' Leadership Secondary category.
-Dr. Diana Maxwell, a teacher at Fort Sam Houston Elementary (Fort Sam ISD). Dr. Maxwell is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Elementary category.
-Janice Cuccia, a teacher at Fox Tech High School (San Antonio ISD). Cuccia is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Secondary category.
-Levinia Lara, principal of John Hoffmann Elementary (Northside ISD). Lara is competing in the awards' Principal Elementary category.
-Michael Cardona, principal of the Robert E. Lee High School (North East ISD). Cardona is competing in the awards' Principal Secondary category.
Border Region
-Vanessa Rincones, a teacher at Sam Houston Elementary (Harlingen Consolidated ISD). Rincones is competing in the awards' Rising Star Elementary Category.
-James Butler, a teacher at Uvalde High School (Uvalde Consolidated ISD) in Uvalde, Texas. Butler is competing in the awards' Rising Star Secondary category.
-Michael Sweet, a teacher at Carman Elementary (Pharr-San Juan- Alamo ISD) in San Juan, Texas. Sweet is competing in the awards' Leadership Elementary category.
-Rachelle Grace, a teacher at McAllen Memorial High School (McAllen ISD) in McAllen, Texas. Grace is competing in the awards' Leadership Secondary category.
-Dora Newell, a teacher at Thigpen-Zavala Elementary (McAllen ISD) in McAllen, Texas. Newell is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Elementary Category.
-Yolanda Fernandez, a teacher at Del Rio High School (San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated ISD) in Del Rio, Texas. Fernandez is competing in the awards' Lifetime Achievement Secondary category.
-Dolores Cisneros Emerson, principal of Morningside Elementary (Brownsville ISD) in Brownsville. Cisneros Emerson is competing in the awards' Principal Elementary category.
-David Gonzalez, principal of George Washington Middle School (United ISD) in Laredo, Texas. Gonzalez is competing in the awards' Principal Secondary category.
H-E-B:
heb.com
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