Fourteen outstanding Dallas ISD teachers were recognized May 17 with Texas Instruments’ Innovations in STEM Teaching Awards.
The Texas Instruments (TI) Foundation gave the $140,000 grant to the Dallas Education Foundation (DEF), which then provided the award to the teachers. Each honoree receives $10,000, of which $5,000 is directly awarded to the teacher. The other $5,000 is to be used at his or her discretion for professional development or instructional technology.
“We know how difficult teaching is, and teaching at the level these professionals do is even more difficult,” said Dallas ISD STEM Executive Director Michael Ruiz. “Putting a spotlight on these teachers serves to create role models that other teachers can look to and go to for mentorship and advice.”
DEF Executive Director Mita Havlick said it was a pleasure for the foundation to help facilitate the awards.
“We want to relay our enormous gratitude to Texas Instruments and the Texas Instruments Foundation for each year recognizing our outstanding secondary STEM teachers,” Havlick said.
The teaching award recipients are:
- Aaron Anderson – Alex W. Spence Talented and Gifted Academy
- Aliza Aponte – Dallas Environmental Science Academy (DESA)
- Pamela Appiah-Opoku – Boude Storey Middle School
- Terra Brown – Ann Richards STEAM Academy
- Latrell Champion – H. Grady Spruce High School
- Mark De Leon – School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
- Tiffany Hester – Sam Tasby Middle School
- Thao Le – Woodrow Wilson High School
- Thu Nguyen – Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership Academy School
- David Palomo Ibarra – Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy
- Edgar Pinilla – W.E. Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy
- Ernita Pippens – Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy at A. Maceo Smith
- Yonathan Tadesse – Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
- Sharonda Thornton – Henry W. Longfellow Career Exploration Academy
