On Sunday, May 6, H-E-B announced statewide winners of the 17th annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during an awards ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Houston.
Fort Bend ISD came home with the award for large school district and a check for $100,000. During the ceremony, H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt personally handed out $430,000 in cash awards and grants, and congratulated eight educators, two school districts, one early childhood agency and a public school board for being among the best in Texas.
The program has given away more than $9.5 million in cash and grants since 2002. Sal Khan delivered the keynote address to a ballroom packed with hundreds of educators, elected officials, community leaders and H-E-B employees. Khan founded the Khan Academy, a nonprofit organization that aims to provide a free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere.
The following winners were selected from a pool of 58 finalists by judges who include former winners, school administrators, and university and community leaders. The 2018 H-E-B Excellence in Education award winners are:
Large School District : Fort Bend ISD.
Small School District : Lancaster ISD, $50,000 cash prize (DFW area).
School Board : Humble ISD.
Rising Star: The Rising Star category recognizes teachers with less than 10 years of experience. Winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their school.
Rising Star Elementary: Allie Duffy, Joe Lee Johnson Elementary, Round Rock ISD (Austin).
Rising Star Secondary: Denisse Hernandez, Christa McAuliffe Middle School, Southwest ISD (San Antonio).
Leadership: The Leadership Category honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. Winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their school.
Leadership Elementary: Stephanie Miller, Skyview Elementary, Richardson ISD (Dallas).
Leadership Secondary: Andrea Garza, United South High School, United ISD (Laredo).
Lifetime Achievement: The Lifetime Achievement Category salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. Winners received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school.
Lifetime Achievement Elementary: Bonnie Anderson, Coronado Village Elementary, Judson ISD (San Antonio).
Lifetime Achievement Secondary: Pamela Broussard, Cypress Falls High School, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD (Houston).
School Principal : Winning principals received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for each of their schools.
Principal Elementary: Zaida Gonzalez, Andrew Trautmann Elementary, United ISD (Laredo).
Principal Secondary: Jerry Jerabek, Frenship Middle School, Frenship ISD (Lubbock area).
Early Childhood: The winning early childhood facility received a $25,000 cash prize.
Levelland Academic Beginnings Center, Levelland (Lubbock area).