H-E-B announces 2023 Excellence in Education Award winners

5/3/2023

On Sunday, April 30, H-E-B announced statewide winners for the 21st annual H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards during an awards ceremony at the La Cantera Resort and Spa in San Antonio. During the ceremony, $430,000 in cash awards and grants were awarded to eight educators, two school districts, one early childhood school and a public-school board for being among the best in Texas. The program has awarded more than $13 million in cash and grants to Texas teachers and schools since 2002.

Thomas L. Friedman delivered the keynote address to a ballroom packed with hundreds of educators, community leaders and H-E-B employees. Mr. Friedman is an internationally renowned author, reporter and columnist. He is the recipient of three Pulitzer Prizes–two for international reporting from the Middle East and a third for his columns written about September 11. He is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers—From Beirut to Jerusalem; The Lexus and the Olive Tree; Longitudes and Attitudes; The World Is Flat; Hot, Flat and Crowded; That Used To Be Us (with Michael Mandelbaum); and most recently, Thank You For Being Late.

The following winners were selected from a pool of 58 finalists by judges who include former winners, school administrators, and university and community leaders.

The 2023 H-E-B Excellence in Education Award winners are:

Rising Star Elementary The Rising Star Category recognizes teachers with less than 10 years of experience. Winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their school. Katie Doyle Flour Bluff Intermediate School, Flour Bluff ISD

Rising Star Secondary The Rising Star Category recognizes teachers with less than 10 years of experience. Winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their school. Ryan Beeler Spring Woods High School, Spring Branch ISD

Leadership Elementary The Leadership Category honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. Winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their school. Kaneice Washington Galena Park Elementary School, Galena Park ISD

Leadership Secondary The Leadership Category honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. Winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their school. Amie Charney North East School of the Arts, North East ISD

Lifetime Achievement Elementary The Lifetime Achievement Category salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. Winners received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school. Lisa Barry Woodridge Elementary School, Alamo Heights ISD

Lifetime Achievement Secondary The Lifetime Achievement Category salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. Winners received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their school. Eliza Delgado Preparatory for Early College High School, Rio Grande City Grulla ISD

School Principal Elementary Winning principals received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools. Dr. Christina Barrera Moses Menger Elementary School, Corpus Christi ISD

School Principal Secondary Winning principals received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools. Jennifer Collier Spring Woods High School, Spring Branch ISD

Early Childhood The winning early childhood facility received a $25,000 grant. Pre-K Academy at West Aveune, San Antonio, Texas, North East ISD

School Board The winning public-school board received a $25,000 grant for their district. Northside ISD, San Antonio, Texas

Small School District The winning small school district received a $50,000 grant. Corsicana ISD, Corsicana, Texas