Mission, Texas- Alton Memorial Jr. High School (AMJH) Language Arts teacher, Yvette Nevarez had a surprise this morning by representatives from H-E-B. She is one of three South Texas educators to be named as finalists for a 2016 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award, spotlighting her as one of the best educators in Texas. The H-E-B program is the largest monetary awards program for educators in Texas, and among the largest in the nation. The honor was kept a secret from Nevarez, who learned she was a finalist when the H-E-B representatives visited her classroom with balloons, cake, flowers, and a check for $1,000. AMJH also received a $1,000 check.
Nevarez is a finalist for the Rising Star Award that honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of classroom experience. She will travel in early May to compete on a statewide level for larger cash prizes. Winners there will each receive $5,000 in cash for themselves, and a $5,000 grant for the school.
You can view a video of the surprise classroom visit through the Mission CISD (Consolidated Independent School District YouTube channel at, https://youtu.be/iNKWDyavMBo.
Pictured is Nevarez receiving her check from H-E-B.
Nevarez has previously been selected as the Mission CISD Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2012, and the 2013 Regional Secondary Teacher of the Year. Nevarez is in her ninth year of teaching with Mission CISD.
Last year, Jesus Razo, a teacher from Mission Jr. High School was selected as a finalist for the same H-E-B honor. In 2014, one of Nevarez’s co-workers, Rosbel Pena was selected as the winner of an H-E-B Excellence in Education Lifetime Achievement Award.
H-E-B launched the Excellence in Education Awards program in cooperation with the Texas Association of School Administrators in 2002 as a positive way to support public education in Texas. It has become the largest monetary program for educators in the state, spotlighting best practices and celebrating the passion and creativity of Texas educators.
H-E-B asks customers, employees, and community members to nominate teachers, principals, districts, early childhood facilities, and school board in Texas. Each nominee is sent an invitation to complete an application online and is asked about their professional experiences, educational philosophies and achievements both in and out of the classroom. A team of judges reviews the applications, narrowing the field to semi-finalists. From that pool, five regional judging panels comprised of former winners, administrators, and university and community leaders select 40 teachers, and principal finalists. Finalists and their schools receive cash prizes of $1,000-$5,000, depending on the category.
The teacher and principal finalists are invited to compete on a statewide level for the larger cash prizes. A statewide panel of judges conducts a personal interview with each finalist to select winners. Overall statewide winners will be announced in May.
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