Sharyland, McAllen Educators Selected as 2026 Elementary, Secondary Teachers of the Year

Edinburg, Texas – Sharyland ISD Elementary Teacher Jacqueline Bermudez and McAllen ISD Isidro Lerma were recognized as the Regional Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year, respectively, during the Region One Education Service Center Annual Teacher of the Year celebration on July 31, 2025 in Edinburg.

The celebration honored 51 district-level teachers of the year in the Region.

Bermudez and Lerma will represent Region One at the state level, competing against 38 other Regional Teachers of the Year. Judges meet in August each year to narrow the pool to six finalists, three elementary and three secondary, based on the information provided in the Texas Teacher of the Year application. In September/October, the finalists are interviewed by a panel of judges who select the Texas Elementary and Texas Secondary Teachers of the Year.

Elementary Regional Teacher of the Year

Jacqueline Bermudez is a 6th grade Reading Language Arts teacher at Sharyland ISD’s Harry Shimotsu Elementary. In her nomination essay, she mentioned that her classroom is a space where every student feels empowered, valued and confident in expressing themselves through reading and writing.

A proud graduate of Texas A&M University, Bermudez holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Spanish. She wrote that she uses this foundation to inspire a genuine love for literature and storytelling among her students.

Over the past two years, her class has proudly published professionally bound books, giving students the opportunity to share their voices with the world. However, Bermudez wrote that teaching poetry truly defines her role as a teacher, particularly sharing the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost.

“When we study this poem, I encourage thoughtful discussions about the power of decision-making,” she wrote. “I show my students a picture of two diverging roads and ask them to imagine standing at that crossroad, forced to choose a path. We talk about how even small choices can lead to significant changes.”

The 6th grade teacher shares her “road less traveled” with students, highlighting the difficulties of attending a college away from home as a first-generation college student.

“Though the journey was not always easy, it ultimately shaped me into the person and educator I am today,” Bermudez wrote. “I ask my students to reflect on their own ‘roads not taken,’ those moments when they had to make tough choices, and to think about how those decisions influence who they are becoming.”

Beyond the classroom, Bermudez founded the Media Club, where students produce weekly news segments that enhance their skills in public speaking, digital literacy and collaboration. This initiative gives students a platform to lead and communicate with confidence. Bermudez strives to nurture her students’ academic success and help them develop as kind, thoughtful and responsible individuals.

“More than anything, I am committed to going above and beyond to bring learning to life,” she said. “I believe students learn best when they experience content firsthand, so I actively seek out opportunities to create those moments. For the Media Club, I guide students in storytelling, technical skills and teamwork. With educators, I collaborate to feature classroom projects, school initiatives such as Red Ribbon Week and Read Across America Week.”

In her nomination essay, she explained that she deeply believes in the power of student voice and her efforts have centered on creating spaces where students feel heard and valued.

“By advocating for creative platforms like publishing and media production, I have not only enriched my students’ academic growth but also empowered them with confidence, leadership and a sense of belonging,” Bermudez wrote. “Moving forward, I am dedicated to continuing this work by finding new ways to give students a voice and ensuring they know that their stories, ideas and perspectives matter.”

Her students’ work will be featured by the Capturing Kids’ Hearts, a national organization that supports educators.

Secondary Regional Teacher of the Year

Isidro Lerma serves as the theatre teacher at McAllen ISD’s James Nikki Rowe High School. He was named the 2025 University Interscholastic League (UIL) Sponsor of the Year and is deeply involved in the local theatre community, co-founding the Encantado Theatre Company and participating as a member of several other organizations.

Lerma said the reason he teaches is simple.

“My students,” he said. “Knowing you have a little bit of impact on them and that you have a little bit to do with how far they can go and showing them how much potential they really have.”

According to the district, his students have earned many nominations through the Valley’s Palm Awards and he strives to convey why theatre should be respected and what it can do for them.

A project he credits to the transformation of his classroom culture is the establishment of a local chapter of the International Thespian Society, the only theatre honor society for middle and high school students. In his nomination essay, he explained his goals of strengthening student achievement in theatre through competition.

“As an educator, I have always believed that healthy competition drives success,” Lerma wrote. “Theatre has always been regarded as a subject that requires motivation and a full company of individuals working toward the same goal in order to be successful. Many times, I find that other theatre programs lack competition. After my first few years of teaching, I told myself, ‘These kids need something to fight for.’ This is how our International Thespian Society Chapter came to be.”

The local chapter was established and inducted thespians take an annual trip to watch performances, participate in theatre workshops and even take part in college auditions. To be inducted, students must earn points by participating in productions, maintaining good grades in all classes and demonstrating a positive attitude.

According to Lerma, one of his proudest moments as an educator is the community outreach he encourages students to be a part of. Every year, his class selects a nonprofit organization to support.

“We are always looking for ways to teach our students how theatre can give back to the community,” he wrote. “One project especially dear to my heart is our touring show for elementary schools in McAllen ISD and the Edinburg Children’s Hospital. Before COVID, we staged and rehearsed a one-hour fairy tale production, which we then took on tour to elementary schools, with a final stop at the children’s hospital.”

The theatre teacher shared that students were unable to continue these performances during the pandemic, halting the eight-year-long tradition.

“This project left a profound impact, not only on the children we performed for but on my own students as well,” Lerma wrote. “Many of them, now adults, still recall that moment. Some have even started their own community projects, inspired by this experience. And to me, that is what education, community service and theatre are all about”.

A special thanks is extended to sponsors for supporting Regional Teacher of the Year Nominees: Starbucks, Consuela, Arctic Wolf, South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, Texas Regional Bank, ClassLink and America’s Choice Fundraisers.