HOUSTON – August 21, 2023 – This is the fifth year that alliantgroup has recognized the most inspiring elementary science teachers of Texas with the SPARK Award. The award, which began as the Elementary Science Teacher Award, was born out of alliantgroup’s mission to support and strengthen American businesses as our nation’s drivers of innovation. alliantgroup knows that STEM education is a huge part of creating the innovators of tomorrow and these teachers are doing an outstanding job creating that ‘spark’ of joy that leads to a lifelong love of STEM.
This year’s SPARK Award winner is Manuel Gonzalez Bert from H. M. Carroll Elementary in Sheldon ISD in Sheldon, Texas. Manual has been teaching for more than 22 years. He currently teaches fourth and fifth grade science. In addition to teaching, he coaches the school’s competitive robotics team and hopes to inspire his students to be curious outside the classroom.
“Winning the SPARK Award and being recognized by alliantgroup means that somebody besides the kids I teach is paying attention to what is happening in the classroom. Above all, it’s a little recognition for our efforts,” shares Bert.
And this year’s SPARK People’s Choice Award winner is Guadalupe Villatoro from Harmony School of Science in El Paso, Texas. Villatoro has only been teaching for three years, but she is clearly making an impact in her fourth, fifth and sixth grade science classes.
FOX 26 Houston meteorologist Lena Arango served as the SPARK Award ceremony emcee. The judges included Texas A&M mechanical engineering professor Dr. Robert Ambrose, CBS 42 Austin news anchor Adela Uchida, NBC 23 Brownsville meteorologist Chris Ramirez, Baly Projects President Hon. Jacquie Baly, and FOX 26 Houston news anchor Caroline Collins.
