It is finally May, and with the end of a tough and stressful school year in sight, we would like to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with a huge thank-you to the phenomenal educators who are moving mountains to educate children in classrooms all over Texas. A few ATPE staff members have shared stories of the teachers who made the biggest impact on their lives and inspired them to be the best they can be. 

Regional Membership Specialist Cynthia Villalovos:

“My university professor, Dr. Marla Banks at McMurry University, was not only my professor but also my mentor. Her love of teaching future educators gave me a drive and love to work with ATPE's future educators. Dr. Banks gave me a love for helping future educators to become the best most engaging teachers. I use her passion every day when working with all my university ATPE members.” 

Marketing & Communications Director Kate Johanns:

“I've been thinking about my eighth grade algebra teacher, Mrs. Newman. She was always very encouraging to all of her female students—even selecting me to be captain of the Mathcounts team, which made me extremely proud. She also found a daylong Girls in STEM conference at UTEP that I attended with my friend Annie. That was the first time either of us had used the internet. We had the opportunity to exchange emails with female STEM professors from across the country. I will never forget Mrs. Newman and her overhead projector and transparencies!” 

Receptionist Mary Rivera:

“My favorite high school teacher was Melinda Farrell. She noted that I couldn’t learn at a fast pace and assisted me in doing my work at my own pace, which helped me bring up all my grades up to As and Bs.  She saw my potential and influenced me to earn a college degree.” 

Membership Director Joy England:

“My favorite teacher was my high school agriculture sciences teacher, Mr. Adams. He truly cared about his students and, as the FFA sponsor, gave so much of his time to help students with their animal projects, welding projects, etc. He had the best sense of humor and made learning fun.” 

Managing Editor David George:

“My most influential teacher is without a doubt Mrs. Bernstein. She taught freshman AP English and had a reputation for being tough. Considering English was my least favorite subject, I knew I was not in for a good time. After the first semester, I had a failing grade and every reason to believe that I just was not cut out for writing papers. Mrs. Bernstein recognized my frustration and looked for creative ways to explain concepts and motivate me to keep trying. By the end of the second semester, she had spent a considerable amount of one-on-one time building my vocabulary, my knowledge on composition, and, most importantly, my confidence. And because of her heroic efforts and remarkable patience, I passed her class by the skin of my teeth.

“With that small accomplishment in mind, the following year, I even signed up for her sophomore class. It also started rough for me, but with her help, I did better than just pass. In fact, I went on to become an English major in college and made sure to acknowledge her contributions to my success in my college thesis. After all these years, I still think back to those tough days as a freshman when Mrs. Bernstein came to my rescue, and I know that I owe her so much for teaching more than just writing papers; she taught me to believe in myself.”

Events Director Andrea Elizondo:

“My choral teacher, Mrs. Brashear, made a huge impact. She was my high school choir teacher for all three years of high school. She was tough on us, and never settled for anything but the very best from us. I was a very shy kid—still am—but in choir I was afforded many opportunities to put myself out in front of others. I still remember those years fondly. They helped me further my love of all kinds of music and performance. She's a teacher that I will never forget and will always be thankful for the opportunities she gave me.”

Associate editor Jack Densmore:

“A teacher who changed my life was my high school journalism teacher, Mrs. Bell. I made sure to take one of her classes each year in high school. She provided a safe place for all of her students, including myself. She cares so much for her students and always went above and beyond for them. I learned a lot educationally, but I gained a lifelong friend, who is also going to be my best woman at my wedding!”