Griselda Montes, a dedicated teacher, wins the 2024 Elementary Educator of the Year award, surprising herself with the honor.
Odessa: So, Griselda Montes, a teacher at Murry Fly Elementary, was totally blown away when she found out she won the 2024 Elementary Educator of the Year award from Summit K12. Can you believe it? She was picked from over 100,000 teachers in Texas!
Montes was recognized for her amazing work with bilingual students and her creative teaching methods. When she first heard about the nomination, she thought it was no big deal. But then she learned how many teachers were in the running and figured she had no chance of winning.
Then, out of the blue, she got an email saying she was a finalist! The awards were handed out at a conference in Austin last October. Funny enough, she was already heading to Austin for some work with the Texas Education Agency. Talk about timing!
After a quick trip back to Odessa, she was off to the awards ceremony. As they announced the winners from places like Laredo and Dallas, she was just sitting there, probably thinking, “No way this is happening.” But then, they called her name for the elementary teacher of the year! She was in shock.
Montes said it was something she never expected. A woman who interviewed her even told her how amazing she was as a teacher, making her classroom a fun place to learn. And that’s exactly what Montes aims for. She believes if kids aren’t having fun, they won’t really learn.
Originally from Presidio, Montes graduated from Sul Ross State University. She always wanted to be around kids, and even after 30 years in education, she feels like she’s still learning from her students.
She’s been teaching at Murry Fly for 27 years, and the best part for her? Seeing that light bulb moment when a kid finally gets it. She’s all about encouraging her students and believes mistakes are just lessons in disguise.
Her principal, Christina Salinas, praised Montes for her dedication and innovative teaching. Montes has built strong relationships with her students and colleagues, making a real difference in her school community. Everyone at Murry Fly Elementary is super proud of her achievements!
