2025-2026 ESC19 Teacher of the Year
Twenty-three outstanding teachers from area districts and charter schools competed in a rigorous selection process for the honor of representing our region at the state level. These dedicated educators were first selected as campus Teachers of the Year, then chosen to represent their respective districts, and now they vyed for the title of Regional Teacher of the Year.
As part of the competition, each teacher underwent panel interviews and submitted multiple essays detailing their teaching philosophies and achievements. The winners of this prestigious regional competition will move on to compete for the title of Texas Teacher of the Year, with the announcement expected later this year. ESC Region 19 is proud to have had nine state winners from our region who have gone on to compete at the national level.
The winners were revealed during the awards celebration and banquet at the Starlight Event Center, 6650 Continental Dr. on Saturday, August 16, 2025. The public is encouraged to join in the celebration by watching the event, which was streamed live on the ESCRegion19 YouTube channel. Extended LIVE coverage before and after the event are on the ESC19 Facebook page.
Raiz Federal Credit Union co-sponsors this event and generously awarded cash prizes to the top three teachers in both the elementary and secondary school categories.
All the district Teachers of the Year are exemplary educators, and judges have noted the difficulty in selecting the winners from such a highly qualified group.
ESC19 Elementary Teacher of the Year Winners:
WINNER: Rachel Gomez, Sierra Blanca ISD
1st Runner-up: Silvia Rivera, Anthony ISD
2nd Runner-up: Isaac Oliva, Canutillo ISD
ESC19 Secondary Teacher of the Year Winners:
WINNER: Brenda Carrillo, Tornillo ISD
1st Runner-up: Michael Neff, Socorro ISD
2nd Runner-up: Sthefania Gallegos-Perez, Clint ISD