H-E-B announces 68 finalists for statewide Excellence in Education honors
H-E-B has announced the 68 finalists for its 2026 Excellence in Education Awards, kicking off a statewide competition that will award nearly half a million dollars to Texas public school professionals and districts.
H-E-B Excellence in Education
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The 2026 finalist pool includes 50 teachers, counselors, and principals, along with five early childhood facilities, five public school boards, and eight school districts. The announcement follows months of surprise visits across the state, during which H-E-B officials presented initial checks totaling $120,000 to individual educators and their respective campuses.
Under the preliminary award structure, teacher finalists received $1,000 for themselves and $1,000 for their schools. Counselors and principals received $1,000 personally, with their schools receiving grants of $1,500 and $2,500, respectively. Early childhood centers, school boards, and district finalists were each awarded $5,000.
What's next:
The finalists will move on to a final round of judging before winners are announced at a formal ceremony on May 3 at the Marriott Marquis Houston. During the event, H-E-B will distribute an additional $480,000 in cash prizes and grants.
Top honors include the Lifetime Achievement Award, which provides $25,000 to the winning teacher and a matching $25,000 grant for their school. District-level prizes are even larger, with the winning large school district set to receive $100,000 and the winning small district receiving $50,000.
Since the program began in 2002, the San Antonio-based retailer has contributed nearly $15 million to Texas education through this initiative.
The 2026 finalists represent five major regions across Texas:
CENTRAL TEXAS
- Marissa Marciel, Trinity Ranch Elementary School, Elgin ISD, Rising Star Elementary
- Megan McCune, Armando Chapa Middle School, Hays CISD, Rising Star Secondary
- Megan Vasquez, Herman Becker Elementary School, Austin ISD, Leadership Elementary
- Azucena Overman, Cedar Ridge High School, Round Rock ISD, Leadership Secondary
- Alasin DeVeny, Joslin Elementary School, Austin ISD, Lifetime Achievement Elementary
- Carol Reese, West Ridge Middle School, Eanes ISD, Lifetime Achievement Secondary
- Jennifer Blum, Adelton Elementary School, Bastrop ISD, School Counselor Elementary
- Molly Heath, Marble Falls High School, Marble Falls ISD, School Counselor Secondary
- Shannon Morrison, Thorndale Elementary School, Thorndale ISD, Principal Elementary
- Daniel Garcia, John B. Connally High School, Pflugerville ISD, Principal Secondary
HOUSTON
- Latoya Davis, Stafford Early Childhood Center, Stafford MSD, Rising Star Elementary
- Heather Rodriguez, North Shore Senior High School, Galena Park ISD, Rising Star Secondary
- Dustin Perez, Robert L. Crippen Elementary School, New Caney ISD, Leadership Elementary
- Richard Embrick, Wright Junior High School, Lamar CISD, Leadership Secondary
- Tammy Wise Sanchez, Sneed Elementary School, Alief ISD, Lifetime Achievement Elementary
- James Sheridan, YES Prep East End Secondary School, YES Prep Public Schools Inc., Lifetime Achievement Secondary
- Wendy Reyes, Margaret S. McWhirter Elementary School, Clear Creek ISD, School Counselor Elementary
- Emily Wilcox, Sartartia Middle School, Fort Bend ISD, School Counselor Secondary
- Dr. Lisa Hamblen, James B. Havard Elementary School, Galena Park ISD, Principal Elementary
- Ruth Pena, Charles H. Milby High School, Houston ISD, Principal Secondary
NORTH TEXAS
- Maria Bofi, Dan D. Rogers Elementary School, Dallas ISD, Rising Star Elementary
- Phil Vilar, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Dallas ISD, Rising Star Secondary
- Joe Parthemore, Heritage Elementary School, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, Leadership Elementary
- Alejandro De La Peña Jr., Parkland Pre-Engineering Middle School, Yselta ISD, Leadership Secondary
- Margo Anderson, Jim & Betty Hughes Elementary School, Prosper ISD, Lifetime Achievement Elementary
- Angie Redwine, Abernathy High School, Abernathy ISD, Lifetime Achievement Secondary
- Amanda Still, Charles A. Tosch Elementary School, Mesquite ISD, School Counselor Elementary
- Kaniesha McEwen, Jack E. Singley Academy, Irving ISD, School Counselor Secondary
- Mahlee Johnson, Charles A. Tosch Elementary School, Mesquite ISD, Principal Elementary
- Dr. Melissa Saenz, Montwood Middle School, Socorro ISD, Principal Secondary
SAN ANTONIO
- Grecia Aguilera, James Madison Elementary School, San Antonio ISD, Rising Star Elementary
- Monica Lopez, Alamo Heights High School, Alamo Heights ISD, Rising Star Secondary
- Jessica Welch, Sun Valley Elementary School, Southwest ISD Leadership Elementary
- Oscar Garcia, CAST Med High School, San Antonio ISD, Leadership Secondary
- Silvia Corado, Charles Graebner Elementary School, San Antonio ISD, Lifetime Achievement Elementary
- Kevin Korpi, New Braunfels High School, New Braunfels ISD, Lifetime Achievement Secondary
- Courtney Allison, Memorial Elementary School, New Braunfels ISD, School Counselor Elementary
- Kristen Guerra, Pieper High School, Comal ISD, School Counselor Secondary
- Summer Gault, Van Raub Elementary School, Boerne ISD, Principal Elementary
- Michele Ramirez-Castaneda, "Tex" Hill Middle School, North East ISD, Principal Secondary
SOUTH TEXAS
- Carolina De Anda, Carmen Anaya Elementary School, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Rising Star Elementary
- Deanna Evans, Mary Carroll High School, Corpus Christi ISD, Rising Star Secondary
- Anahi Espinoza, Dr. R. E. Margo Elementary School, Weslaco ISD, Leadership Elementary
- Claudia Cortez, Gladys Porter Early College High School, Brownsville ISD, Leadership Secondary
- Tami Bhadai, Cesar Chavez Elementary School, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Lifetime Achievement Elementary
- Valton Acree, Yorktown Secondary School, Yorktown ISD, Lifetime Achievement Secondary
- Angelica Ramos, Blanca E. Sanchez Elementary School, McAllen ISD, School Counselor Elementary
- Flor Villarreal, Judge Mario E. Ramirez, Jr. Juvenile Justice Center, Edinburg CISD, School Counselor Secondary
- Michelle Gonzalez, Macdonell Elementary School, Laredo ISD, Principal Elementary
- Dr. Tina Garza, Harlingen School of Health Professions, Harlingen CISD, Principal Secondary
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FACILITIES
- Bonham Pre-Kindergarten School, San Marcos CISD, San Marcos
- Goodwill Exploration Center, Austin
- Gregory-Portland Early Childhood Center, Gregory-Portland ISD, Portland
- Lena Pope Early Learning Center, Fort Worth
- Menchaca Early Childhood Center, Southside ISD, San Antonio
SCHOOL BOARDS
- Alice ISD, Alice
- Corpus Christi ISD, Corpus Christi
- Garland ISD, Garland
- Lake Dallas ISD, Lake Dallas
- Mesquite ISD, Mesquite
LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
- Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Carrollton
- Dickinson ISD, Dickinson
- Garland ISD, Garland
- Pearland ISD, Pearland
- Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Pharr
SMALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS
- Alice ISD, Alice
- Angleton ISD, Angleton
- Midway ISD, Woodway
As the 2026 cycle nears its conclusion, H-E-B has also opened nominations for the 2027 awards. Texas residents can nominate state-certified public school professionals through Sept. 30, 2026, at the program’s official website.
The Source: Information in this article is from an H-E-B news release.