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We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2026 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teaching Awards! Each year, we present awards that recognize and encourage excellence in teaching the humanities in Texas schools. More than seven hundred teachers from across the state were nominated for this year's awards. During the 2026–2027 school year, each winning teacher will receive $5,000, with an additional $1,000 for their school to purchase humanities-based instructional materials.
Stay tuned for upcoming newsletter features on the 2026 recipients!
2026 Outstanding Teaching Award Winners
James F. Veninga Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award
| Carolina De Anda-Treviño | Carmen Anaya Elementary School | Pharr |
Julius Glickman Educational Leadership Award
| Christien Bings | Zachry Magnet Middle School | San Antonio |
Jay Taylor Moore Outstanding Teaching of U.S. History Award
| Aaron Sands | Plano West Senior High School | Plano |
Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award
| Valton Acree | Yorktown High School | Yorktown |
| Klara Aizupitis | Big Bend High School | Terlingua |
| Mark Dostert | Challenge Early College High School | Houston |
| Albert Guerrero Jr. | Veterans Memorial Early College High School | Brownsville |
| Sarah Honore | East Early College High School | Houston |
| Kimberly Molidor | Dallas County Juvenile Justice AEP | Dallas |
| Robert Steagall | Flour Bluff High School | Corpus Christi |
| Christina Swan | LASA High School | Austin |
Linden Heck Howell Outstanding Teaching of Texas History Award
| Katherine Rogge | Carolyn and Vernon Madden Elementary School | Richmond |
Award for Outstanding Early-Career Teaching
| Nikolai Burgardt | Chavez High School | Houston |
| McKaylyn Haynes | YES Prep–White Oak Secondary School | Houston |
| Casey Narzem | Hunt Middle School | Frisco |
Questions about Teaching Awards
Call 512.440.1991 (press 2) or email ota@humanitiestexas.org.