HOUSTON – Oct. 20, 2020 – The Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce honored outstanding area teachers today with a special online ceremony and luncheon. Campus Teachers of the Year for 2019-20 and principals from 19 Spring ISD schools – mostly on the district’s east side – participated.

Originally planned as an in-person event to be held in March at the Humble Civic Center, the special annual celebration was postponed until the fall this year due to COVID-19. Presented by Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union, the Zoom event honored Teacher of the Year winners from select schools in Spring ISD and Humble ISD, along with winning teachers from Lonestar College-Kingwood and from several private schools located in the area served by the chamber.

“This event had to be pushed back due to the pandemic and the school closures this spring, but we’re so excited that the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce and its members were able to find a way to still recognize our Teachers of the Year,” said Spring ISD Chief of Innovation and Equity Dr. Lupita Hinojosa. “All of our teachers are working so hard right now to ensure a quality education despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19, and every little bit of encouragement and recognition helps.”

In addition to the online recognition ceremony, the event was also celebrated with special lunch and gift bag deliveries made to the winning teachers and their principals right at their campuses. Volunteers involved in the chamber and other community members from the region stepped up to offer to deliver the boxed lunches and gift bags to the more than 70 participating campuses.

Although a few of the winners have changed campuses or left Spring ISD since the 2019-20 Campus Teachers of the Year were announced, most remain at the campus they taught at last year and celebrated there this week.

In addition to the recognition for the teachers of the year, the virtual event also included a keynote address from Nelda Luce Blair, the president of the Conroe ISD Education Foundation and a board member serving on the Lone Star College System Chancellor’s Advisory Council. State Rep. Dan Huberty was also in attendance to present a special honor to Lone Star College-Kingwood President Dr. Katherine Persson, who will be retiring in December following more than 40 years of service in higher education.

Along with Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union, this year’s event sponsors also include Award Sponsor Community Resource Credit Union, along with Platinum Sponsor United Community Credit Union. More information on the event can be found on the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce website.

The winning teachers from Spring ISD are listed below, along with their 2019-20 campus information.

• Mizz Jones, Anderson Elementary School (Kristin Falcon, Principal)
• Antonionette Nolen, Booker Elementary School (Keisha Womack, Principal)
• Jennifer McDonald, Burchett Elementary School (Yvette Casas, Principal)*
• Jamie David, Cooper Elementary School (Mayra Garcia, Principal)
• LaShawndra Smith, Hirsch Elementary School (Dr. Clare Resilla, Principal)*
• Jennifer Crawford, Jenkins Elementary School (Tiffany Weston, Principal)
• Dan Larson, Marshall Elementary School (Michael Walker, Principal)
• Eugene Collins, McNabb Elementary School (Melissa Warford, Principal)
• Ranada LeBlanc, Northgate Elementary School (Kristi Brown, Principal)
• Tramina Jones, Salyers Elementary School (Asia Whitehead, Principal)
• Kathy Ellis, Smith Elementary School (Shimona Eason, Principal)
• Danielle Sowards, Winship Elementary School (Todd Armelin, Principal)*
• Alicia Davis, Bailey Middle School (Shundra Brown, Principal)**
• Rene De Luna, Dueitt Middle School (Stacy Rodgers, Principal)
• Sarah Zimeri, Springwoods Village Middle School (Kimberly Culley, Principal)
• Benjamin Younger, Twin Creeks Middle School (Kenisha Williams, Principal)
• Charlene Bradley, Dekaney High School (Alonzo Reynolds III, Principal)
• Akudo Nwokorie, Spring High School (Diaka Melendez, Principal)
• Ashley Dodd, Wunsche High School (Dr. Alfred James, Principal)

* Teacher has since left the district
** Now teaching at Beneke Elementary School