2024-2025 Teacher of the Year Program

ICT TR IS D

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DEPENDENT SC I IN T S HO I R O H L C

Amalia Dolores Barragan

Pedro Benavidez

ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

SECONDARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

CREEKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

W.B. RAY HIGH SCHOOL

39th ANNUAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR CEREMONY 6 P.M., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025 - VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Eric Villarreal, P.E. PRESIDENT

Marty Bell

VICE PRESIDENT

S. Jaime Arredondo SECRETARY

Alice Upshaw Hawkins

ADMINISTRATION

TEACHER OF THE Roland Hernandez, Ph.D. YEAR SELECTION COMMITTEE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Sandra Clement, Ed.D.

Maria Alvarado

Karen Griffith

Jane Lee-Rhodes

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT SERVICES

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Steve Barrera TRUSTEE

Don Clark TRUSTEE

Dolly Gonzales Trolley TRUSTEE

2 | 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION

CCISD’s 2024 Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Lorenzo de Zavala Elementary School.

CCISD’s 2024 Secondary Teacher of the Year, Harold C. Kaffie Middle School

Denis Wisner

Corpus Christi ISD Coordinator for Innovative Technologies

Diana Ybarra

Corpus Christi ISD Recruitment and Retention Coordinator

Porfirio Zamora

2018 Secondary Teacher of the Year, Veterans Memorial High School

TONIGHT’S PROGRAM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2025

VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

WELCOME

SPECIAL REMARKS

Roland Hernandez, Ph.D.

Amalia Dolores Barragan

Superintendent of Schools

BOARD GREETINGS

2025 Elementary Teacher of the Year, Creekside Elementary School

Eric Villarreal, P.E.

Pedro Benavidez

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

CLOSING

President, Board of Trustees

Leanne Libby, APR

2025 Secondary Teacher of the Year, W.B. Ray High School

Roland Hernandez, Ph.D.

Chief Communications Officer

2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION | 3

ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

4 | 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION

SECONDARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

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DEPENDENT SC I IN ST HO I R O L CH

ELEMENTARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

AMALIA DOLORES BARRAGAN CREEKSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Amalia Dolores Barragan is passionate about helping students discover their inner strengths, even when the odds seem stacked against them.

She finds joy in moments when students realize their potential—whether it’s the confidence of solving a challenging problem or a hesitant child raising their hand for the first time. Beyond the classroom, she has led professional development sessions, contributed to curriculum writing and mentored fellow educators, ensuring all students have access to transformative learning experiences.

“Becoming a teacher was a deeply personal and purposeful journey for me, built on resilience, self-discovery, and the belief that education can transform lives,” Barragan wrote in her essay. “As a student, I struggled with self-doubt despite my achievements, an experience that shaped my empathy for those who face similar challenges. Teaching is not just my profession; it is my purpose. Every time a student discovers their voice, believes in their worth and achieves what once felt impossible, I am reminded why I chose this path.”

6 | 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION

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DEPENDENT SC I IN ST HO I R O L CH

SECONDARY TEACHER OF THE YEAR

PEDRO BENAVIDEZ W.B. RAY HIGH SCHOOL

Mr. Benavidez is passionate about fostering curiosity and creating a supportive learning environment for his students. He believes that cultivating a sense of wonder is essential to deeper learning and strives to make his classroom a place where every question is valued. As an educator, he embraces the challenges of working with diverse learners, including English Language Learners and G/T students, tailoring his approach to meet their unique perspectives. In addition to teaching International Baccalaureate Chemistry, he mentors new teachers, serves as Science Department Chair, and coaches students to success in science fairs at state and international levels.

“Teaching was not my original career plan, but it has become my calling,” Benavidez wrote in his submission. “The journey from a researcher to an educator has been unconventional, but it has allowed me to bring a unique perspective to the classroom. My experiences taught resilience, adaptability, and the importance of lifelong learning— qualities I strive to instill in my students.”

8 | 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION

2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CAMPUS WINNERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BRIANNA O’BOYLE

KELLY O’DONNELL

Gloria Hicks Elementary School

MELISSA GUERRA

T.G. Allen Elementary School

Sam Houston Elementary School

ALEXANDRA ROMERO

RAYSHANDA CARTER

Ella Barnes Elementary School

DEBBIE RODRIGUEZ Mary Helen Berlanga Elementary School

KIMBERLY MORENO

Calk-Wilson Elementary School

LISA MORIN

Club Estates Elementary School

AMALIA DOLORES BARRAGAN

Creekside Elementary School

BRIGITTE PRADO Cullen Place Elementary School

ELANA PEREZ

Joseph T. Dawson Elementary School

ANGELICA SANCHEZ Early Childhood Development Center

ROBIN LINDEMANN

Fannin Elementary School

MELISSA GARCIA Rafael Galvan Elementary School

CLAUDIA GARCIA Dr. J.A. Garcia Elementary School

ALESIA ASTORGA Weldon Gibson Elementary School

Luther Jones Elementary School

LEVY MURRAY

LILIANNA VENTURA NARVAEZ

Rose Shaw Elementary School

LIANA GARZA

Weldon A. Smith Elementary School

KAROLINE LAUGHLIN William B. Travis Elementary School

Zachary Kolda Elementary School

VERONICA GONZALEZ

LORI WARE

CERINA RAMIREZ

Faye Webb Elementary School

JOHNNIE MARLEY

Carl O. Hamlin Middle School

PRISCILLA CANALESDOMINGUEZ

Harold C. Kaffie Middle School

AIDE PEREZ

Sterling B. Martin Middle School

HIGH SCHOOL GORDON HALEY

Harold T. Branch Academy

Windsor Park Elementary School

ASHLEY LOVE

JUANA SANCHEZ

SILVIA MENDEZ

GABRIELLE GONZALES

C.P. Yeager Elementary School

Collegiate High School

MARIA BARKER

MERCEDES QUIJIJESUDHOFF

JARED BRANDT

Stanley Kostoryz Elementary School Los Encinos Elementary School Moses Menger Elementary School

WHITNEY COPELAND

Lorenzo De Zavala Elementary School

Metro Elementary School of Design

MIDDLE SCHOOL

CASSANDRA SOTO

Dorthy Adkins Middle School

E.E. and Jovita Mireles Elementary School

MELISSA ZAPATA

ELIZABETH SANDOVAL DANIEL BENAVIDES

Marvin Baker Middle School

Blanche Moore Elementary School

KRYSTAL MEZA

LESLIE VILLA

DANIZ MONTOYA

Oak Park Elementary School

ELIZABETH HASTINGS

Tom Browne Middle School Cunningham Middle School at South Park

Fred R. Sanders Elementary School

SELINA GARCIA

RACHAEL CAFFEY

ROSIE MORALES

Schanen Estates Elementary School

Robert Driscoll Middle School Elliott Grant Middle School

TIFFANY FOSS

Paul R. Haas Middle School

10 | 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION

Mary Carroll High School

Solomon M. Coles High School & Education Center

PHILIP BROWN

Richard King High School

GABRIEL GOMEZ

Roy Miller High School

EMILY SOTO

Foy H. Moody High School

PEDRO BENAVIDEZ W.B. Ray High School

SOPHIE ACEVEZ

Veterans Memorial High School

SPECIAL CAMPUSES BROOKE REYNA

Mary Grett Transition Center

CASANDRA JACKSON Student Support Center

PREVIOUS TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONOREES 2024 Jane Lee-Rhodes (S) Maria Alvarado (E)

2013 Ibet Caro (S) Erika Vazquez (E)

2003 Da’Anna Stringer (S) Emily Hyatt Weaver (E)

1993 Arnold Leal

2022 Amanda Davis (S) Megan Butler (E)

2012 Elizabeth Taylor-Payne (S) Timothy F. Gloria (E)

2002 Steven L. Gonzales (S) Margaret A. Nourse (E)

1992 Nancy Getz Campbell

2021 Luisa White (S) Rachel Beavers (E)

2011 John Colunga (S) Tom Martin (E)

2001 Vinay Dulip (S) Piedad Ymbert (E)

2020 Laurel Brashears (S) Monica Garcia (E)

2010 Todd Alan Moulder (S) Belinda Chapa (E)

2000 Stephanie E. Martinez (S) Denise Hill (E)

2019 Ryan Bennett (S) Azita Pardom (E)

2009 Sue Verlaan (S) Monica Benavides (E)

1999 Barbara M. Ostarch (S) Mary Beth Castillo-Tierce (E)

2018 Porfirio Zamora (S) Emily Schellinger (E)

2008 Lorinda Hamilton (S) Janet W. Daehne (E)

1998 John Alan Snyder (S) Mary F. Bales (E)

2017 Pragati Bannerjee (S) Lauren Augsburger (E)

2007 Joán S. Alvarez (S) Joel A. Gonzales (E)

2016 Jaime Trevino (S) Ruby Shaver (E)

2006 John Michael Strubhart (S) Robin Abrego (E)

1997 Dr. Kenneth W. Boeker (S) Dongwol Kim Roberson (E)

2015 Morris McRae (S) Annie Mucheru-Garza (E) 2014 Usha Gurumurthy (S) Dr. Delores Tapia (E)

1996 Diana G. Fernandez (S) Melissa S. Holt (E)

2005 Thomas E. Buckner (S) Belinda Silva (E)

1995 Nancy Adams (S) Jill Scott (E)

2004 Rene Castillo (S) Teresa Lynn Krell (E)

1994 Evelyn Hroch (S) Raúl O. Ramón (E)

1991 Marcia Ramsey 1990 Mary Elmore Williams 1989 Galen Hoffstadt 1988 Ricardo Godoy 1987 Dr. Rebecca Palacios (S) - Secondary (E) - Elementary

Note: From 1987 - 1993, one CCISD Teacher of the Year was selected from the secondary and elementary nominees.

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OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS LEANNE LIBBY, APR

CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

LYNDALL GATHRIGHT

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

OCTAVIO CABALLERO

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

JACQUELINE FRANCO WEBMASTER

ALEXANDRIA CANTU

SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION COORDINATOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR SELECTION COMMITTEE COORDINATOR

ELOISA DOWIAT

CCEF BOARD LIAISON

BROOKE GARCIA

COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

ANGELA STEPHENS

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

NICOLE SPRENCEL

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

THOMAS DONNA

MULTIMEDIA INTERN