#SomethingGood: Weatherford 3rd-Grade Teacher Named Best in Texas

Weatherford ISD teacher Karen Sams will represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) named Sams, a third-grade teacher, as the 2020 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. Sams was also picked as the Texas Teacher of the Year in the national competition in January.

Michelle Sandoval, an eighth-grade math teacher from Ysleta ISD, was named the 2020 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year.

"I congratulate Karen and Michelle on this achievement. Texas Teacher of the Year is the highest honor our state bestows upon its teachers," Kevin Brown, executive director of TASA, said in a news release. "They have distinguished themselves among thousands of outstanding, dedicated teachers across our state and nation have who have answered the call to serve others."

In her acceptance speech, Sams talked her about commitment to public education.

"The public school is the backbone of a community. And a free and public education is the last great equalizer. It's what sets us apart from any other place in the world. And it's what empowers students to be the whatever they want to be," she said in a video shared by Weatherford ISD.

Sams got that message a long time ago when a teacher inspired her.

And, show now pays it forward by empowering her third graders at Crockett Elementary.

"Every year, you have 22 kids that walk through your doors and you get to build a relationship with and help grow. And when you look back after 30 years of doing this and you realize the amount of kids you've touched, it really is rewarding and satisfying," Sams said in the Weatherford ISD video.

For all her work, a panel of fellow educators, community and business leaders picked Sams as the Texas Teacher of the Year.

She now becomes the state's nominee for National Teacher of the Year. Each state submits a nominee and from 50, four finalists are chosen. The winner will be announced next January.

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