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We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Humanities Texas Outstanding Teaching Awards! Each year, we present awards recognizing and encouraging excellence in teaching the humanities in Texas schools. Over seven hundred teachers from across the state were nominated for this year's awards. During the 2024–25 school year, each winning teacher will receive $5,000 and an additional $1,000 for their school to purchase humanities-based instructional materials.

Stay tuned for upcoming newsletter features on the 2024 recipients!

2024 Outstanding Teaching Award Winners

James F. Veninga Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award

Lindsay JohnstonImagine International Academy of North TexasMcKinney

Julius Glickman Educational Leadership Award

Melina RecioMcAllen High SchoolMcAllen

Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award

Monica Alvarez SuárezPSJA Memorial Early College High SchoolAlamo
Caitlin Bailey-GarafolaJasper High SchoolPlano
Tyler ClementsSpring Branch Middle SchoolSpring Branch
Jennifer FeyHill Country College Prep High SchoolNew Braunfels
Erika Garza-SilvaFlour Bluff Junior High SchoolCorpus Christi
Sarah HolzbauerWhitehouse High SchoolWhitehouse
William LeeAlamo Heights High SchoolSan Antonio
Rebecca SmartDripping Springs High SchoolDripping Springs
Renee TrejoDel Valle High SchoolEl Paso

Linden Heck Howell Outstanding Teaching of Texas History Award

Charlene BaderPeet Junior High SchoolConroe
Lorenzo VenturaJones Middle SchoolSan Antonio

Award for Outstanding Early-Career Teaching

Julia MixonAldine Middle SchoolHouston
Christopher Vasquez-WrightFrenship High SchoolWolfforth
(From l to r:) Humanities Texas Board Member Amanda Nobles, Johnston-McQueen Elementary School Principal Christy Scott, and 2023 OTA winner Whitney Reardon.
2023 OTA winner Graciela Cano with her students during Cano's award presentation at Harwell Elementary School in Lubbock.
2023 OTA winner Katy Roberson (left) with Humanities Texas Board Member Trasa Cobern.